Farmers operating John Deere equipment will soon have a new “assistant” to put to work. Meet “JD,” an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant built into John Deere Operations Center.
Designed to act as a conversational partner, JD allows farmers to ask questions and receive immediate, customized answers generated from their own field, machine and operational data.
“Our goal is to help farmers turn their data into practical value,” says Deanna Kovar, John Deere’s president of the worldwide agriculture & turf division. “Farmers decide which third parties they want to connect with, whether that’s a dealer, agronomist or a connected software partner.”
Turning Data Into Actionable Insights
According to John Deere, JD delivers information quickly, providing practical operational metrics in a format that’s easy for farmers to understand. Farmers can simply ask JD questions such as:
- How did my fuel use during tillage this year compare with the last three years? (Helps identify best practices to reduce fuel costs.)
- How did singulation compare across my fields, and what impact did it have on yield? (Provides a better understanding of how planter settings affect your bottom line.)
- Which sprayer operator is covering the most acres per hour? (Highlights operational inefficiencies and team performance.)
- When is the optimal time to harvest based on historical trends? (Enables smarter logistics, labor management, and harvest planning.)
“This AI assistant is there to help you get more value from the data that already exists in your Operations Center,” says Jackson Baca, group product marketing manager for John Deere. “We know that every season, field and decision you make is different from your neighbor. JD provides you answers based on your data and not general advice.”
How JD Works: The Three-Layer System
To deliver precise answers, the AI assistant is built on a three-layer architecture:
- User interface where customers can interact with JD.
- AI assistant where customers receive answers and JD orchestrates the right response based on the farmer’s data.
- Knowledge layer where JD contains the information needed to answer questions.
John Deere notes that JD is built on six core values: Truth and clarity; human control; safety and responsibility; professionalism; respect; and trust.
A Commitment to Data Privacy and Control
As AI becomes more integrated into farming, data privacy remains a top concern. John Deere stresses its strict adherence to its Farmer Data Commitment, a set of 10 principles reinforcing the message that a farmer’s data solely belongs to the farmer:
- You control your farm data.
- John Deere does not sell your farm data.
- John Deere uses your farm data only as described in its agreements and policies and will communicate changes clearly before they take effect.
- John Deere will require dealers and connected partners to maintain transparent data practices.
- John Deere uses your farm data and aggregated, anonymized data to deliver measurable value to you through improved machine performance and decision-making insights.
- You can choose which third parties to share, and not share, your farm data with.
- You have the freedom to turn off the flow of your farm data to third parties at any time.
- John Deere does not use your farm data for agriculture commodity trading or speculation.
- You should receive clear value from your farm data.
- John Deere will continue to listen to farmers, strengthen its data practices, and develop new solutions that help you receive value from your farm data.
“Farmers can review their connections, update their permissions or turn off the flow of data to third parties at any time,” Kovar explains.
To ensure the data remains secure, John Deere employs dedicated cybersecurity teams around the world.
“We use security by design practices, continuous testing, regular software updates and proactive monitoring to help safeguard our systems,” says Jahmy Hindman, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Deere & Company.
Availability of the AI Assistant
Some customers will have the opportunity to interact with JD soon through the Early Access Program. The AI assistant will become more broadly available later this year through the Operations Center website and mobile app with plans to integrate it directly into in-cab displays.
As the technology evolves, John Deere plans to expand JD’s capabilities to serve its broader customer base, including the construction, road building and forestry sectors.
