Comment by Alupis
1 day ago
I can't be the only person seriously questioning the "Budget" page the AI created?[1]
The estimate seems to leave out a lot of factors, including irrigation, machinery, the literal seeds, and more. $800 for a "custom operator" for 7 months - I don't believe it. Leasing 5 acres of farmable land (for presumably a year) for less than $1400... I don't believe it.
The humans behind this experiment are going to get very tired of reading "Oh, you're right..." over and over - and likely end up deeply underwater.
Actually, the linked university page [1] does claim that the "cash rent equivalent" is $274 per acre. Surprising, but I suppose farmland isn't that expensive. But unfortunately their total budget per acre is $960, 90% higher than in the AI's "budget". Assuming that it can do everything as efficiently and cheaply as an experienced human farmer, such as harvesting all 5 acres in 14 hours of labor.
[1] https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/html/a1-20.html
I hope the budget has been written by AI, so that we can take a shortcut and immediately answer the question "Can AI grow corn?" with a "No".
I am extremely worried by the amount of hype I see around. I hope I am being in a bubble.