Across sunlit California fields, smart, solar-powered robots are quietly taking over weed control. Developed by startup Aigen, these machines combine onboard cameras with AI to easily distinguish crops from weeds—helping farmers reduce their reliance on chemical herbicides. The robots work by day and rest at night, creating a natural, energy-efficient cycle that supports safer farming practices.
Richard Wurden, Aigen’s co-founder and CTO, who brings a wealth of experience from Tesla, was inspired by his family’s farming challenges in Minnesota. With a shortage of agricultural workers and growing herbicide resistance, CEO Kenny Lee says farmers are keen to turn away from chemicals. Already operating in tomato, cotton, and sugar beet fields—and supported by AWS’s ‘Compute for Climate’ fellowship—these devices are paving the way for a more sustainable future in U.S. agriculture.
