Farmers in Argentina are much more likely than their US counterparts to see value in artificial intelligence and data-driven tools, according to a comparison of two producer sentiment surveys carried out in 2026.

The US survey covered 400 producers through the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer; the Argentine one covered 402 producers through the Austral University Ag Barometer. Both asked what main benefit farmers associate with AI and other data tools, which are used for precision farming, automation, robotics, predictive analytics and farm management.

In the United States, 52% said AI offered no meaningful benefit to their operations. Among the rest, 23% named higher production as the main benefit, 14% reduced labour needs and 11% lower risk or uncertainty.

In Argentina, higher production was the most common answer at 37%, followed by reduced risk and uncertainty at 28% and labour savings at 14%. Only 21% saw no meaningful benefit.

Many US farmers also said recommendations from data-driven tools are hard to follow and fit into daily management, suggesting ease of use shapes adoption. The researchers noted that Argentine farmers were generally more optimistic about agriculture and farmland values, and that trust in the technology and concerns over data privacy may also play a part.

Their conclusion is that developers and agricultural organisations must make AI tools practical, reliable and easy to use if farmers are to take them up.

Photo: Tichnor Brothers / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Source: Farms.com