Artificial Intelligence (AI) has long been a tool that technology companies of all sizes have used to automate their processes and on top of a sustainable platform for growth. As more companies in different industries continue to use AI to maximize their potential, those in the cannabis industry have been integrating AI in various functionalities to help secure their facilities and amplify their efficiency. Let’s look over the types of AI technology products that cannabis companies are using to help take their production efficiency to the next level.
Staying on top of Cannabis Supply Chain Regulations
AI can also make a huge impact for cannabis retailers on the risk management side as well, helping companies track state-by-state regulations(1) as well as the constant changes that are being made at the federal level. Since these regulations sometimes change with the wind, staying on top of changes allows organizations large and small to pivot to ensure that every product is properly packaged, shipped, and sold in a compliant way.
Strain Discovery Algorithms
New cannabis strains are being discovered all the time, but
by Canadian researchers in late 2018 opens up a whole new world of possibilities for discovering new strains. Unfortunately, many of the strains are found by manually testing each sequence in the genome which can be cumbersome and extremely time consuming for humans. Thankfully, AI can be used to automate the process of discovering new strains or customizing strains for specific effects. This could possibly result in even more growth in a cannabis market that is ripe with new investments and interested consumers.Sensors and High-Definition Cameras
Adding sensors and high-definition cameras to your greenhouse can help you achieve maximum yields without having to lift a finger. The AI built into this technology can help you keep track of and adjust the water level, pH level, temperature, humidity, nutrient feed, light spectrum and CO2 levels to help maximize plant growth. In the end, this can have a huge influence on the quantity and quality of cannabis that you’re able to produce.
These high-definition AI cameras are also being used in interesting ways such as with facial recognition and advanced video analytics throughout the supply chain. This allows growers to constantly keep an eye on every square inch of their from grow rooms, processing facilities, and even retail dispensaries to ensure that their inventory and people are safe at all times. AI facial recognition also allows cannabis companies with the ability to control access to high profile areas in processing facilities while also allowing dispensaries to run age-verification at the point of sale.
AI for Cultivation and Production
This AI technology also can identify the sex of plants, detect if a plant is sick, and take the appropriate measures to heal or remove said plants from your growing environment. Following this removal, the AI would then track the plant growth rate and predict the new size and yield based on current growth rate trends. This all takes a fraction of the time that a typical worker would take to make the same analysis on the matter which can end up saving your organization big in the long run.
In short, AI gives cannabis companies the ability to run complex computations and tasks around the clock, thus bringing about full optimization of cultivation and production. AI can incorporate data divulged from the Internet of Things (IoT) to adjust the growing conditions accordingly for a specific strain. AI can also help forecast yield size, thereby helping cultivators make quick decisions regarding the financial aspects of the business and distribution processes that will help project product demand for the near future.