AI is changing the way we live – and now it’s changing the way cows live, too. A Dutch company called Connecterra has created the Intelligent Dairy Farmer’s Assistant, or “Ida,” an AI-driven sensor device to help farmers keep tabs on their herds. Originally tested in Europe, the company is now introducing Ida to farms in the U.S.
Behind the sensors, which some farmers have dubbed “cow fitbits,” is a Google’s TensorFlow software. Using Ida, farmers are able to track the movement health of hundreds of cows at a time, making it easier to treat any who become ill. Some farmers remain skeptical, however, with one man telling the Washington Post he “can spot a cow across a room that don’t feel great just by looking in her eyes.” While it may not be accepted by everyone, AI like Ida could change farming.