Can A.I. be used to pick the best fruit?

Researchers at Michigan State University are combining artificial intelligence and engineering technology to create a robot that can pick the best apples. Associate Professor Dr. Zhaojun Li says that they’ve been working on this for years and it could address trends in the farming industry.

“Labor is a big concern to the whole industry, with a rising cost and also a shortage in labor,” Li said. “So this is definitely a technology that once it becomes available, I think the farmers will be more than happy to adopt the technology.”

In the next few years, they hope the robots will be able to pick more high-quality apples faster and more robustly. Li says that progress is being made right here in Michigan.