Integrating AI into the Cannabis Business: Enhancing In-Store and Online Experiences

05:33 - 08:03 Jake Litke, CEO of MediaJel, and Nathan Johnson, President and CEO of Verne Bio, discuss the challenges operators face in identifying and addressing issues within a large grow operation. Variances such as hotspots, airflow issues, and plant illnesses must be detected and managed. Nathan explains that their team assists operators by designing or improving Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and conducting audits. He explains that because there are many problems that can happen in operating grows, most cannabis grow operators don’t have enough SOPs to cover everything. He outlines the common problem areas—nutrients, environment, infections, human error, and mechanical failure—and describes how patterns in these issues are analyzed to determine the root cause. Nathan emphasizes the importance of AI in doing rapid data analysis to resolve problems quickly to minimize the impact on the plant cycle.

08:08 - 10:06 Jake Litke and Nathan Johnson discuss using visual tools and image processing software to monitor large grow operations. Jake inquires about the types of tools used, and whether they are commercially available or open-source libraries. Nathan explains their approach involves tools like Gromix's mobile app for primary outputs and Neat Leaf, which automates image capture multiple times daily. This automation is crucial since operators often need help to inspect their fields daily; the best they can manage is weekly inspections, but the challenge is that a lot can happen within a week. Nathan highlights that while image analysis is a starting point, more advanced AI applications are used to analyze thousands of samples to identify infection patterns. He emphasizes the efficiency gained by using AI to process and analyze data, surpassing human observation's limitations.

11:40 - 13:49 Jake Litke, CEO of MediaJel, shares how their platform integrates with e-commerce systems, allowing them to track online orders and analyze the contents of customers' baskets. Jake explains that they can uncover surprising insights from the data by examining various factors such as the creative aspects of ads, where they were served, and their impact on sales. These insights help identify which ad units are driving different types of purchases, whether high Average Order Value (AOV) items or smaller ticket items. Ultimately, this data-driven approach enables them to optimize marketing efforts to target customers more effectively, aiming to increase sales and basket values, which are the primary concerns of their advertisers.