Making AI Work for Your Greenhouse Business

For growers looking to reclaim more time, reduce risk, and make better business decisions, artificial intelligence (AI) represents a meaningful next step that builds on the automation investments already in place.

If you’ve already automated climate controls and environmental monitoring systems, for example, AI can then analyze that data and tell you something you didn’t already know: that a temperature pattern from last week is likely to affect your crop yield next month, or that a pest issue is developing before visible damage appears.

“We’re all in the early stages of what AI can do,” says Mary Beth Cowardin, Vice President of Marketing and Member Engagement at AmericanHort. “Like anything new, you just have to try it and learn where it can be most valuable to grow and protect your business.”

Start Small, Then Scale

When people think about AI, they often picture sophisticated robotics or autonomous greenhouses. Cowardin encourages growers to first start by thinking smaller while being ready to grow your AI usage into ways that can have a larger impact.

“AI is meant to help people do their jobs more efficiently and effectively,” she says. “It’s not meant to replace humans. It may change how certain tasks are completed, but the goal is to help people work faster and smarter.”

Some of the most practical starting points involve administrative work that takes employees away from higher-value customer service and production.

AI also can:

• Write product descriptions
• Draft social media posts
• Prepare customer estimates
• Assist with scheduling crews more efficiently

When AI does these tasks, it frees up employees to focus on serving customers, growing, and managing the business.

At Cultivate26, Rob Sproule of Salisbury Greenhouse shared insight into his evolution working with AI. In 2025, he says he asked AI questions. In 2026, he started giving AI work — things such as summarizing meetings, comparing reports, and analyzing spreadsheets.

Sproule pointed out that AI isn’t an “answering machine”; rather, it can help identify what is missing, challenge your assumptions, and pretend it’s your best customer. In this way, AI helps Sproule work faster and better.

As growers become more comfortable with technology, they can expand into more advanced applications:

• Labor forecasting
• Pest identification using image recognition
• Production planning
• Customer-facing chatbots or kiosks that handle routine inquiries

“We’re only limited by what we can think of when it comes to AI,” says Cowardin. “It’s like anything else — you get out of it what you put into it.”

AmericanHort took that start-small approach when introducing AI to its own members.

Last year, the association launched Sage, an AI assistant trained on AmericanHort resources and Cultivate materials, the association’s annual industry conference. The goal was to give members a secure environment where they could become comfortable using AI while accessing trusted horticultural information.

“We knew security concerns were one of the barriers keeping some people from trying AI,” says Cowardin. “We wanted to create a tool where members could experiment using information they know and trust.”

Members now use Sage to answer questions about advocacy resources, educational content, and Cultivate programming. For example, attendees can ask which exhibitors specialize in irrigation systems or build a personalized conference schedule around AI-focused sessions.

Next, Add the 201 Level Tasks

Once you’ve been using automation to handle small tasks, now is the time to supersize them for continued growth.

Let’s say automation is already turning on irrigation when soil moisture reaches a certain level; you can then engage AI to analyze the data those systems collect to spot patterns, predict potential issues, and recommend adjustments before problems develop.

Similarly, automation can collect inventory data or log production numbers; AI can help forecast labor needs, identify pests from photos, optimize production schedules, or analyze customer trends to help managers make more informed decisions.

For some growers, more sophisticated applications are already delivering direct business results. Growers are using drones equipped with computer vision to automate inventory counts and monitor crop health at scale — work that has translated to material labor savings for some operations. Others are using AI to analyze top-selling products, project cash flow, and forecast production timelines, giving managers a clearer picture of what’s ahead.

Better Prompts Lead to Better Results

Learning how to communicate with AI is just as important as choosing the right tool.

“The more context you can give, the better the result,” says Cowardin. “Tell it who you are, what you’re trying to accomplish, and the tone you’re looking for. The more specific you are, the more useful the output becomes.”

Cowardin recommends treating AI as a collaborative assistant rather than expecting perfect answers on the first attempt. Assign the AI a role, clearly explain the task, provide relevant background information, and use follow-up questions to refine the response.

“You have to give it feedback,” says Cowardin. “If there’s something you don’t like, tell it why. It will adjust, and you’ll end up with something you feel much more confident using.”

Even then, human oversight remains essential.

“You still have to pressure-test the results,” says Cowardin. “AI can be inaccurate. Read through the output, make sure it makes sense, and confirm it sounds like you before you act on it.”

Plan for the Technology Risks, Too

Like any new technology, AI introduces new operational considerations.

As greenhouse operations become more connected, cybersecurity becomes increasingly important. Businesses should also think about how they’ll continue operating if automated environmental controls lose power or internet connectivity, or if AI-generated recommendations are inaccurate. Backup plans and human oversight remain essential to help reduce the potential for crop loss and business interruption.

Cowardin also encourages organizations to establish clear expectations for how employees should use AI.

“Develop an AI policy,” she says. “Decide what’s appropriate within your organization, what information can be shared, and what guardrails you want in place. That’s a leadership responsibility.”

Working with trusted technology providers and using secure AI platforms can also help reduce the risk of sensitive business information being exposed.

Technology and Risk Management Should Evolve Together

As greenhouse businesses adopt AI and automation, they should also review how those changes affect their risk profile. Conversations with an insurer can help identify potential gaps in property, cyber, business interruption, and liability coverage before new technology is put into place.

Whether a grower is experimenting with AI-generated marketing copy or integrating advanced operational tools, the goal should be to use technology to improve efficiency while protecting the business as it grows.

AI adoption doesn’t have to happen all at once. Starting with practical applications, keeping knowledgeable employees involved in decision-making, and having conversations with your insurer, broker, or insurance agent can help greenhouse businesses identify new opportunities with greater confidence.