An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Interact with others globally with information you wish to share to solve problems faster. You could ask AI to find similar growers seeing a particular weed and start a dialogue using AI to interact with the data and find solutions.
In today’s tech-driven world, artificial intelligence has become a key enabler of business success. But the question remains — how can businesses effectively harness AI to address their unique challenges while staying true to ethical principles? To explore this topic further, we are interviewing Tom Gauthier
Tom Gauthier is the Founder and CEO of AgTechLogic, a leading sustainable agricultural solution company committed to improving the farming industry with an integrated approach that combines intelligent precision spraying with technology, including AI, AR/VR, and robotics, to reduce chemical use.
AgTechLogic aims to improve existing ag systems and positively impact complex global food supply chains to transform how we farm and conserve natural resources, manage costs, and grow smarter.
He brings over 30 years of experience leading teams and delivering innovative technology solutions for Fortune 200 companies, including Deloitte, ADM, CHS, CGB, Johnson & Johnson, Ardent Mills, and Walmart.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path in AI?
I’ve always been about ‘solving problems’. I started programming in 5th grade. I enjoyed the ability to write software that did something. Still, I got my passion at the University of Illinois. I worked on my degree in Chemical Engineering and had to program devices to control temperature, air pressures, and liquid flow. The ability to combine the physical with the digital started me on a path to put the two together. I’ve dreamt about software helping to make decisions, alert people, and provide insights to solve real-world problems. Now, I’m applying AI in an industry that needs the most help: Agriculture.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started working with artificial intelligence?
Yes. We all have dreams that AI will do something very science-fiction. Still, AI can be easily applied to solve real-world issues with simple applications. One example is the problem of water use in Agriculture. If you have a leak or puddles, this will cost you money and can change your operation until the standing water or puddling is resolved. Our technology can identify standing water and alert customers early, reducing wasted water costs and potential weed, crop, and operational issues.
You are a successful leader in the AI space. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each? The three that helped define where I am today are Problem Solving, Care for Humanity, and Passion for others’ success.
As mentioned above, I’ve been problem-solving since I was very young. I enjoyed solving many problems with my dad and grandfather in many areas of life. It starts with a problem that, if solved, would benefit the customer. I helped my father find many creative ways to hang tools, reroute electrical, design interesting wood shelving, and perform difficult plumbing installs. You have to have a problem that has a clear value to the customer but could be an interesting solution.
Second, I care deeply for my kids, grandkids, family, friends, and fellow humans. I found a problem with the massive over-spraying of pesticides and thought that if I could make a dent in this problem, it would provide health and financial benefits to all. I encourage anyone using AI to find a problem that improves our planet.
Last, I have a passion for others’ success. I’ve always been more excited to see the success of others than my wins. That is a greater win in my book. So, my success is directly connected to how we apply AI in business situations to find ways to lower costs, improve yields, lower risks, and improve the health of our communities. Doing this takes endless passion for your belief in the
solution because when you see the customer happy, we all win.
Let’s jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a specific example of how you or your organization used AI to solve a significant business challenge? What was the problem, and how did AI help address it?
A major business challenge in agriculture is the need to kill herbicide-resistant weeds. Our technology takes weed images and can tell the farmer precisely what weed types are present. The customer can then strategize the best method to eliminate that particular type of weed. In the future, our AI will be able to ingest external data, such as research reports on eliminating that specific type of weed, and we’ll suggest the best method to treat that problem to the farmer.
What are some of the common misconceptions you’ve encountered about using AI in business? How do you address those misconceptions?
The largest misconception about using AI is that AI can start to take over machines and do something destructive. However, most AI use cases will require AI to research information and provide possible solutions much faster than anyone could do manually. I think the best way to address this misconception of AI is to prove that the use cases of AI solving day-to-day problems that typically take weeks or months to research and solve can now be handled within minutes. Second is the ability to ingest massive amounts of data and provide a summary to solve a problem we have right now.
In your opinion, what is the most significant way AI can make a positive impact on businesses today?
AI can make the most impactful business decisions by not being overly complicated. There are many use cases in business today where AI can provide research and solutions based on ingesting publicly available data and research to provide options for solving problems faster than today.
Ok, let’s dive deeper. Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Ways AI Can Solve Complex Business Problems”? These can be strategies, insights, or tools that companies can use to make the most of AI in addressing their challenges. If possible, please share examples or stories for each.
- Provide simple interpretation of images, like early identification of crop diseases.
- Summarize large sets of data, for example, by looking at millions of images and telemetry data from thousands of acres and asking AI to provide specific insights, such as “Were there more or less pesticides sprayed in an area that had a particular weed type?”
- Provide summary research of publicly available data, such as looking at all available crop disease data from all universities and providing options to the customer.
- Provide alternative graphs and charts based on data. Looking at data in various modes often provides the right story to interpret the data set.
- Interact with others globally with information you wish to share to solve problems faster. You could ask AI to find similar growers seeing a particular weed and start a dialogue using AI to interact with the data and find solutions.
How can smaller businesses or startups with limited budgets begin to integrate AI into their operations effectively?
Small companies could immediately use several free tools to incorporate into their operations. A small business can start by interacting with ChatGPT for free and asking about some challenges small businesses face and where AI could support their actions. Simple booking of appointments, supply chain data stats, data interpretation, writing, marketing and sales materials, and more.
What advice would you give to business leaders who are hesitant to adopt AI because of fear, misconceptions, or lack of understanding?
Try the free services for non proprietary or unique items to your business. You will be amazed about what you’ll find and learn by trying something creative that doesn’t compromise your business’s secret sauce.
In your opinion, how will AI continue to shape the business world over the next 5–10 years? Are there any trends or emerging innovations you’re particularly excited about?
I think AI will continue to get smarter in its ability to understand human thought and the questions we ask it, in addition to ingesting publicly available and IoT data. To help make decisions and give us even more capabilities to move faster to drive business and value to customers.
How do you think using AI to solve business problems influences relationships with customers, employees, and the broader community?
AI will affect the relationships with our customers, employees, and the broader community because it will provide solutions to solve agriculture problems faster and educate the community about what local growers are doing to improve agriculture capabilities, lower costs, and improve community health.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people through AI, what would that be?
You never know what your idea can trigger. Our company is bringing a lot of good to many people, and we are just getting started with AI. I believe that technology will continue to become less expensive and easier to put onto edge devices to help people worldwide farm more effectively and affordably. It will help us use fewer pesticides, fuel, and emissions and thus will improve the community around them and be able to feed their family and their families around them more effectively.
How can our readers further follow you online?
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agtechlogic/
LinkedIn Tom Gauthier:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tfgauthier/
X Tom Gauthier: @agtechietom
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agtechlogic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agtechlogic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx3CsfhYry-VdTFy1OBI8UQ
Our website www.agtechlogic.com
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur and Thought Leader with over 25 years of business experience. He has founded, operated, and exited multiple companies and now builds into a handful of high impact CEOs. Chad has launched multiple online communities, including a recent leadership development platform, and also serves as a strategic advisor for Authority Magazine’s thought-leader incubator program.
To learn more and connect with Chad visit: chadsilverstein.io
Tom Gauthier of AgTechLogic On How Artificial Intelligence Can Solve Business Problems was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.