How artificial intelligence (AI) is helping winegrowers to deal with adversity from climate change

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) for winegrowers refers to robotics, smart sensor technology, and machine learning applied to solve climate change problems. Our research group has developed novel technology based on AI in the vineyard to monitor vineyard growth using computer vision analysis (VitiCanopy App) and grape maturity based on berry cell death to predict flavor and aroma profiles of berries and final wines. Smart sensor technology, such as low-cost electronic noses, has been developed and tested to monitor in the vineyard and the winery effects of smoke contamination and smoke taint, respectively, by analyzing in real-time samples and detecting taint levels and smoke-related compounds in berries, must and wines. AI has also been applied to big data collected by vineyards and on vertical vintage libraries of wines to develop specific models based on machine learning to predict wines’ aroma profiles based on weather and management information. Our ground-breaking developments on sensory analysis and biometrics from consumers include emotional response and physiological response, such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, and gesture changes. These parameters have been used to develop AI-based models to assess back viticultural and winemaking management throughout the grape and wine production chain. Information from this integrated AI system (smart sensor and sensory/biometrics) can be used to modify vineyard management strategies, such as canopy management and irrigation scheduling, to target specific consumer preference or wine styles uniformity. The same technology can also be applied for traceability, authentication, and counterfeiting measures using blockchain.