The first AI-guided garden where the plants tell you when they are thirsty

Have you ever joyously stepped out to your backyard garden, freshly brewed coffee in hand, only to find your meticulously cared-for plants and herbs wilted and dying? Was the soil too dry? Did pests find their way in? During times like these, some frustrated gardeners may wish their fickle ficus would just tell them what it needs. A new Microsoft-partnered project in the UK is trying to see if that concept can be demonstrated in the real-word.

[In 2025], the Royal Horticultural Society in England will show off an “intelligent garden” that uses an AI model to monitor the garden’s environment and inform gardeners when it needs care. Visitors can ask the AI-powered garden questions. The model could then respond with phrases like “I need a bit more water,” or “I could use a haircut” depending on data captured in the soil. Aside from the pleasant novelty of chatting with plants, the garden will provide visitors with a physical representation of the many ways AI and Internet of Things technologies could be used to enhance sustainability and conservation efforts moving forward.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here