Artificial intelligence (AI) is already strengthening competitiveness and sustainability across many sectors. While AI-based innovations are advancing rapidly, their availability on the market and uptake by end-users do not always keep pace. To help unlock AI’s potential in a strategic and coordinated way, on 24 June 2026, DG AGRI and DG CNECT organised the Workshop on “Fostering AI uptake and scaling trusted AI solutions in agriculture” to take stock of trends in AI in the sector.
The event marked the first structured sectoral dialogue contributing to the governance introduced under the Apply AI Strategy. It brought together around 180 experts from industry, research, farming organisations and public authorities to take stock of the latest developments in AI for agriculture and explore how to accelerate the uptake of trustworthy AI solutions. It also built on the outcomes of a previous Commission event on AI in agriculture.
AI as "enabler"
AI is a key enabler for the performance, competitiveness and resilience of the agricultural sector. There was broad consensus that AI should support, rather than replace farmers’ decision-making. For wider adoption, AI-based applications need to deliver measurable value at farm level and remain affordable for users.
Trustworthy, secure and easy-to-use AI applications were identified as essential conditions for the wider adoption. It was recognised that publicly supported AI development should pay particular attention to the needs of smaller farms, reduce investment risks and strengthen farmers’ digital skills through targeted capacity building.
The OECD presented an overview of AI uptake in the European Union’s agricultural sector, highlighting different levels of adoption of AI technologies, such as tools for crop and soil monitoring, predictive analytics and robotics across different farm types. It also identified common barriers for adoption, including limited digital infrastructure, uncertain return on investment, insufficient interoperability and difficulties integrating AI tools into existing Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS). A particular challenge remains the lack of connectivity between different platforms, for example between FMIS, as well as between FMIS and public subsidy systems.
Innovation in AI
Innovation in AI for agriculture is progressing rapidly, although many developments are still at pre-market stage and remain hard to quantify.
The workshop highlighted several promising use cases including AI-powered monitoring in olive oil production, systems for detecting people and obstacles around agricultural machinery to improve safety, and AI-based early prediction tools in grapevine production. These examples demonstrate the tangible added value AI can bring to agricultural production. Across the different use cases, participants identified high quality data, user-centred design and explainability as key success factors.
Furthermore, some inspiring examples were identified in the panel discussion, where farmers themselves took the initiative to develop AI-based tools helping them to run their business.
Representatives of the Horizon Europe Project AgriDataValue, GAIA EPICHEIREIN, and Kiwitron S.p.a. presented selected AI use cases through a series of short pitches.
An active ecosystem building the capacities for AI at scale
Representatives from AI factories, the Common European Agricultural Data Space, the Testing and Experimentation Facilities for AI in Agri-Food and the Horizon Europe Partnership Agricultura of Data discussed how EU initiatives complement one another to support the development and deployment of AI.
Discussions showed that a vibrant European ecosystem is already helping to build the capacities needed to develop and deploy AI solutions in agriculture. Several AI factories are tailoring part of their activities to the agri-food sector. At the same time, participants identified persistent challenges to scaling AI, particularly the availability and accessibility of high-quality data. Standards and the Common European Agricultural Data Space were highlighted as important enablers for addressing these challenges, with one of the data space use cases specifically focusing on AI applications.
Looking ahead
The European Commission will continue to engage regularly with stakeholders to gather expertise and monitor developments in AI in agriculture. The insights collected through these exchanges will inform future policies and initiatives.
Stakeholders are invited to contribute to the activities of the Apply AI Alliance and to join at the Apply AI Summit in November this year.
Next Steps
Next to the agenda, a workshop report and the presentations delivered during the event will be published on this website in near future.
Further forthcoming EU initiatives related to AI
- EU Agri-Hackathon
- The EU AgRI 2040 Conference: Future-proofing EU Agri-Food through research and innovation. Registration and programme available here: EU AgRI 2040 Conference - Agriculture and rural development
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Last update
29 July 2026