The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) today announced AI at Work in Agriculture, a free three-part webinar series examining what it actually takes to move artificial intelligence from experimentation to operational use in agricultural organizations. The series runs on consecutive Thursdays — June 25, July 2 and July 9, 2026 — from 12:00–1:00 p.m. CST, and is led by Dan Maycock, co-founder and chief technology officer of Dataplai and visiting researcher at North Carolina State University.
The series is designed for agricultural professionals, agribusiness leaders and supply chain operators who have begun exploring AI but are looking to move past initial experimentation toward solutions that deliver measurable results. Each session addresses a distinct stage of practical AI adoption: what it takes to implement, what most frequently gets in the way and what outcomes look like across the ag supply chain.
Session Overview
Session 1 — Beyond the Basics: Putting AI to Real Work
Thursday, June 25 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. CST
Most AI use in agriculture today stops at the surface — asking questions of a chatbot, generating a report, running a quick analysis. Session 1 examines what it takes to move past that starting point and build AI-powered solutions that deliver operational value, covering data maturity, common implementation challenges and key considerations for organizations looking to do more.
Session 2 — Addressing Key Concerns with AI
Thursday, July 2 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. CST
A direct look at the concerns that most frequently stall AI adoption in agricultural organizations: data protection, information ownership, cost management and the challenge of distinguishing proofs of concept from initiatives with real return on investment.
Session 3 — Case Studies in AI
Thursday, July 9 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. CST
An examination of real-world AI applications across agribusiness — which commodity use cases are gaining traction, how organizations across the supply chain are measuring value and what separates initiatives that deliver from those that don’t.
Certificate of Completion
Attendees who complete all three sessions through CAST’s online platform will receive a certificate of completion in AI at Work in Agriculture, available to share on LinkedIn and with employers and organizations.
About the Speaker
Dan Maycock is co-founder and CTO of Dataplai, an AI and data consulting firm serving the agriculture and food industries. With roots in a small farming town and more than two decades of experience across enterprise technology, consulting and agtech, he has led data transformation initiatives for growers, processors and supply chain operators across the U.S. He is a published author, visiting researcher at NC State University and a member of the FCC’s Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force. He holds degrees from Washington State University and Carnegie Mellon University.
