Artificial intelligence in agriculture: Deere acquires Blue River Technology

DEERE & COMPANY, the publicly-traded corporation that manufactures John Deere brand agricultural, construction, and forestry equipment, made big news in the technology sector in September, when it agreed to purchase artificial intelligence company Blue River Technology for $305 million. While the iconic heavy equipment manufacturer’s long-time investments in new technologies aren’t surprising for those within the agricultural industry, the move drew surprise from tech industry publications, many of whom led their articles with some version of “Yes, the tractor company”.