Pest and disease identification
Farm Worker · Field Crop Farming
“Pest and disease identification” (Farm Worker) is being replaced by AI: it entered in 2019 and is projected to be largely replaced by 2027.
What this task is
Farmers walk their fields inspecting leaves, stems and fruit to identify diseases and pests, judge how serious they are, and decide whether and how to treat the crop.
How AI replaces it
From 2019, phone apps that diagnose crop problems from photos and field monitoring cameras became common, recognizing frequent diseases and suggesting treatments. By about 2027, identifying common pests and diseases will be largely AI-driven.
What stays human
Farmers and agronomists handle rare diseases and cases where several problems overlap, deciding on the right treatment using field experience and their knowledge of local soil, weather and crop conditions.