Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving the creation and rapid advancement of transformative tools across the agricultural value chain, with potential to support climate resilience, sustainability, nutrition security, and equitable access to food. However, there are significant concerns around the ethical, social, and legal dimensions of AI that must be addressed prior to the widespread adoption of these technologies in food systems. In early 2025, Grand Challenges partnered with the UC Davis AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems to host a series of convenings for stakeholders in the AI and food systems sectors, aimed at identifying challenges, priorities, and best practices for successfully and equitably adopting AI in food systems. Key needs identified by the stakeholders included:

• Expanding equitable access to AI technologies and infrastructure in rural and underserved communities.
• Strengthening trust, transparency, and data stewardship to ensure responsible data collection and innovation.
• Developing proactive and harmonized regulatory frameworks at state and federal levels.
• Building workforce readiness and education pathways to support AI literacy and adoption.
• Encouraging collaboration and user-centered design to align AI tools with real-world food system needs.

Stakeholder input was compiled into a ReDDDoT white paper.