We are facing a daunting task. The world will have to feed 10 billion mouths by 2050, but our current methods are unsustainable. Eleven percent of global emissions come from agriculture. Water, land and biodiversity are rapidly declining. And more than 800 million people continue to suffer from hunger.

One of the most exciting technological developments of today is AI. The applications of vertical AI—which is trained to deeply understand a single industry—are limitless. In my earlier career, I harnessed the power of AI for financial markets, then for cancer treatments. In my current work, I think a lot about how AI can help us tackle another complicated behemoth: the food system.

Fortunately, many innovative companies are already applying AI to these problems. Just last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new initiative focused on using AI for food production, safety, security and disease resistance.