In “Harnessing the Power of Large Language Models in Agricultural Safety & Health,” an article published in late 2023 in ASABE‘s Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, I dive into the realm of Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). The focus? The likely transformative impact these technologies will present for those who are interested in agricultural safety, occupational health, and health promotion. It’s an exhilarating thought, integrating cutting-edge tech into sectors that are complex and require both a technical understanding of unique agricultural hazards and exposures as well as knowledge of human factors, family interaction, and workplace dynamics around labor, policy, and regulation. My goal is to showcase these tools as more than just nifty gadgets—they’re critical assistants that I am sure will boost the work of educators, researchers, and others in key roles.
The world of LLMs, like ChatGPT, is fascinating! They’re not just about fancy tech jargon. These are real-deal tools tackling real problems. These AI marvels are like sidekicks to human expertise. They don’t replace us; they make us better. Let’s talk specifics. AI has a hand in areas like framing the exploration needed to provide answers to tricky technical questions, breaking down complex research and technical documents, sifting through fatality and injury reports to spot trends, making sense of densely-written engineering standards, and even helping curate and create educational content.
But, it’s not all smooth sailing. Deploying AI tech comes with its share of hurdles—misinformation risks, copyright and intellectual property tangles, and the inherent biases in AI models based on training data that is often limited to research conducted in certain parts of the country/world, and usually not with audiences who most need our help. It’s crucial we chat about these, for a well-rounded grasp of AI’s role in these vital fields.
Wrapping up, I’m all about getting folks in agricultural safety and health into the AI conversation. It’s a call to action: let’s embrace AI, push innovation, and up our game in agricultural safety, occupational health, and health promotion. The goal? To get educators, researchers, and the likes to see the endless possibilities AI brings to the table, sparking new ideas and efficiencies. Let’s get this tech revolution rolling in the fields and beyond!