Construction to begin on AI-focused agricultural center 

The University of Florida is scheduled to begin the construction process for the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence in November. It will be a part of the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, which is located in Wimauma, which is in Hillsborough County. 

For Nathan Boyd, Gulf Coast associate center director and professor of horticulture/weed science, the project is an investment in the state. 

“Agriculture is the second largest industry in Florida,” he said. “So we want to protect that.” 

He believes it will play a role in the future of American food production as well. 

It is important to grow and create food domestically and not rely on other countries, Boyd added. He went so far as to call it a “national security” concern. 

By producing food in the U.S., fruits and vegetables can be more accessible to “people across all socioeconomic status,” he explained. 

However, there is a key issue that impacts the agricultural industry in the state. 

“Everything from transplanting to crop maintenance to harvesting is done by hand for most of our specialty crops,” Boyd said. Labor, he added, has become increasingly difficult to find.

 “The solution to this is automation.” 

Figuring out how to automate the process has been the challenge, because crops need to be harvested in a “particular way,” he explained. 

With the help of robotics and artificial intelligence, Boyd believes that automation could be realistic in the near future. The new center will focus on research and education on the topic. “We just need the right tools and people to make it happen,” he said. 

Selecting Hillsborough County for the facility was a strategic move.

“It’s in the center of the state,” he said. This can help make it a “hub” for agricultural technology. Additionally, being in close proximity to Tampa is ideal since it’s emerging as a leader in the tech industry, he added. 

The project has been in the works for two years and is tentatively scheduled to be complete by Jan. 2027, Boyd said. 

The university received $30 million from the state to create the 40,000-square-foot building. Additionally, it was given $4.5 million from the federal government to purchase equipment for the center. New staff members will be hired, he added. 

Not only will the center be a place for innovation, Boyd said, but an educational facility that can inspire young minds. 

“It’s going to give us the capability to train graduate students in ways we have not been able to do before.”

Center website