îCOVERSTORY Roadmap A 4-Year
What’s Coming? An Overview of the Next Four Years By Jill Odom
IT’S A NEW YEAR, AND WITH IT COMES A FRESH START TO LEAD YOUR landscape company to new heights. To help guide you in your business decisions for the near future, we’ve outlined a roadmap of where we think things are headed centered around some of the industry’s hot topics.
THE FUTURE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
One major question many are wondering is where artificial intelligence will be in the next few years as its capabilities have grown by leaps and bounds since first being brought to the public’s attention. Ian Khan, a dedicated futurist specializ-
ing in artificial intelligence, predicts AI will have evolved from being just helpful to essential across industries within the next four years. “Forecasts by Gartner predict that
AI-driven innovation will create $2.9 trillion in business value by 2026,” Khan says. Khan anticipates some of these capabilities to include real-time adaptive decision-making, bio-AI integration for soil health monitoring and AI models that can predict optimal plant species combina- tions for varied landscapes. “Imagine drones equipped with
deep-learning algorithms that can assess land health and provide on-the-spot rec- ommendations for treatments,” Khan says. “This aligns with AI’s rapid enhancement of visual and environmental analysis, which
20 The Edge //January/February 2025
could soon match or surpass human sen- sory precision, offering incredible insights into soil, foliage, and ecological health at a molecular level.” Khan expects AI to redefine predictive landscape maintenance. He notes that currently, AI-driven environmental analytics can predict specific weather trends up to two weeks in advance, which could expand to months soon. He says that AI could eventually offer micro-forecasts for specific regions, making it possible for landscape companies to optimize watering, fertilization, and pest control well before issues arise. “Innovations like these will shift the
industry to a data-driven model, where every plant’s growth stage is tracked and optimized,” Khan says. “Such shifts will be transformational for sustainable landscap- ing practices, preserving resources while maximizing output.” A fear some have is how AI will impact
jobs. According to a report from the World Economic Forum, AI and automation could replace 85 million jobs by 2025, while also creating 97 million new roles.
“In landscaping, while AI will handle data-heavy tasks like predictive analysis or soil health assessments, it will likely remain an efficiency tool for physical roles, aiding rather than eliminating jobs in manual la- bor,” Khan says. “Advanced AI-enabled tools could amplify productivity, enabling land- scapers to focus on design and customer experience rather than repetitive tasks.” Khan predicts that AI will bring land- scape companies closer to peak efficiency. “With AI handling backend and data-heavy roles, companies can reach unprecedented efficiencies in labor and resource management, reducing time and waste,” Khan says. “However, there will always be room for improvement as tech- nology evolves, new techniques emerge, and customer expectations rise.” Another fear related to AI is over-reliance
on algorithms. Khan argues that AI will fuel innovative landscape design by freeing up the mental bandwidth previously used for administrative tasks. Some risks to be mindful of with AI include data breaches and ethical usage. Khan says that as AI gathers data on soil composition, irrigation, and customer pref- erences, weak cybersecurity can open the door to data theft, exposing sensitive client and environmental information. “Furthermore, AI algorithms must
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