This AI Chatbot Can Help Predict Supply Chain Disruptions at Farms

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed food systems to the brink of crisis, writes Sara Zimmerman at Agriculture Dive. Agtech startup Helios has created an AI-powered supply chain assistant that aims to help producers prevent the next shortage and subsequent chaos in grocery stores and the food system.

Helios on Thursday launched Cersi, a chatbot that harnesses billions of climate, economic and political signals to forecast potential supply chain risk down to the farm level. The virtual assistant is part of Helios’ larger risk management platform, which was launched in December, and is meant to help large food companies get a better handle over their agriculture supply chains.

“When we talk to a lot of our customers, their biggest fear is not having product on the shelf,” Helios CEO and co-founder Francisco Martin-Rayo said in an interview with Agriculture Dive. “The earlier you know the risks, the more time there is to address supply or find other ways to source it.”