Stratovation Group AgriSearch Assistant Changing the Game for Ag Business Leaders, Researchers and Others
Platform’s user base, utility growing as AI tool learns and evolves
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continue to influence how we work in agriculture, almost a year of user experience validates one specific use of the technology that’s creating new efficiencies in a range of applications.
Launched in late July 2024, the Stratovation Group AgriSearch Assistant AI model, based on OpenAI’s ChatGPT interface, was created to simplify the process of quickly finding reliable agricultural information and data by aggregating a range of sources. The model has been queried by more than 700 unique visitors seeking well-grounded information like ag statistics, research findings and reports from ag professionals, government officials, business leaders, researchers, and University Extension specialists.
“The AgriSearch Assistant was designed to become a one-stop shop for information necessary to make informed decisions based on real-world data and information,” said Stratovation Group CEO Cam Camfield. “It enables us to apply our energy to the work we do using data versus finding the data itself.”
Russ Green is one of the platform’s users who have done just that. The Managing Director of Mackaben, a training curriculum for developing the next generation of agricultural leaders, has himself experienced how such a tool can both perform a critical function while opening new opportunities.
“I grew up with the Encyclopedia Britannica on the shelf behind my desk during high school. I have relied on my own work experiences and social media for research and discovery in my career,” said Green, a veteran of the farm machinery and agri-food value chains. “As I move into a new generation of information-sharing, AI systems like AgriSearch give us instant access to the knowledge of the agricultural universe in real time.”
Purposeful design with a range of dependable ag data sources
Like other AI models, the AgriSearch Assistant is constantly “learning” based on a growing collection of public data and information sources that now includes numerous agencies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, primary national farm commodity associations, trade organizations and agricultural economic groups, and 20 state University Extension services that provide research trial results, state-level reports, crop budget information and agronomic data.
The AgriSearch platform also solves a growing problem. As publicly available agricultural data and information becomes more widely accessible, it’s also becoming more fragmented, making more difficult the task of gleaning the highest-value information. As the AgriSearch Assistant — and the number of users seeking answers with it —continues to learn and grow, so too will the value of the data it contains, making it even more valuable as a research tool in the future. But it’s not just about speed and efficiency; it’s enabling users to maximize their competitive advantages, especially in innovating to move agriculture forward.
An AI tool with uncapped, growing utility
In the research, consulting and marketing sectors in which his team works, Camfield said the AgriSearch Assistant has shown benefits even he — an AI veteran himself — didn’t expect.
“Armed with the AgriSearch Assistant, we found ourselves able to devote more of our time and energy to our clients, partners and trusted advisers,” he added. “This machine, it turned out, made us more human.
Green has employed the AgriSearch AI model to help educate budding agriculture company sales professionals by generating real-world scenarios to be deployed in training modules in the Mackayben platform. It’s a way to help provide practical experience.
“The use and adoption of this research tool has become a standard daily practice for the next generation of ag leaders,” Green said.
“Every day, agriculture is finding new, innovative ways to use AI to accomplish a lot of tasks and save a lot of time. We saw the AgriSearch Assistant as something that would help us open the door to new opportunities,” Camfield said. “We’re looking forward to continuing to evolve the AI model so it offers universally high-value data and information so we can all do our jobs better.”
Visit the AgriSearch Assistant to get your agricultural search started.
About Stratovation Group
Stratovation Group is a forward-thinking marketing research, business consulting, and strategic planning firm dedicated to helping businesses achieve success through innovative solutions. By fostering strategic partnerships and driving growth, Stratovation Group empowers clients to navigate complex challenges with confidence.