This weekly update brings exciting news about smart farming technology that helps farmers make better decisions. Several companies received big investments to build AI-powered tools that can see and understand what happens on farms.

The biggest news came from California, where Orchard Robotics raised $22 million to expand their smart farming platform. This company builds special cameras that mount on tractors and use AI to take pictures of fruits and tell farmers about plant health. The founder, Charlie Wu, says farming is really a data problem - farmers need better information to make smart choices about their crops.

In Nebraska, Professor Sruti Das Choudhury is working on something called explainable AI for farming. This special AI doesn't just give farmers answers - it also explains why it made those choices. For example, if the AI says to plant corn in a field, it will tell the farmer which factors like soil pH or rainfall were most important in making that decision.

California also got $9.2 million in funding to build new farming technology centers. This money will help create over 3,000 jobs and support 100 new startup companies that build farming tools. The state is trying to become a leader in agricultural innovation.

Meanwhile, research shows that AI adoption in farming is happening slowly. Unlike other technologies that spread quickly, most farmers are taking their time to try AI tools. Only 6% of farm businesses plan to spend more than $1 million on AI systems this year.

Scientists in South Korea also won a big prize for using AI to design proteins that could help make better vaccines and medicines. This breakthrough could change how we develop treatments for diseases and improve food safety systems worldwide.