EXCLUSIVE: Why ‘Good Weed And Good Friends’ Won’t Cut It Any More—Cannabis Industry Embraces AI, Automation, Data To Survive
Growing, bagging and selling cannabis alone won’t sustain growth in today’s market. High-quality products and loyal customers are no longer enough; the industry needs smarter, leaner supply chains to stay competitive. At the latest Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, industry leaders delivered a clear message: emerging tech like AI, automation and blockchain is transforming cannabis operations.
Moderated by Cannabiz Supply’s Barbara Fox, the panel emphasized how these tools are redefining efficiency, data collection and automation to scale profitability.
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Graham Farrar, co-founder and president of Glass House Brands (OTC:GLASF) explained how AI and RFID tracking have revolutionized Glass House’s operational flow. RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification, uses small tags with embedded chips to track objects in real time. “For us, it’s all about saving seconds without sacrificing quality,” he said, emphasizing the importance of precise time tracking for tasks like hand-trimming.
By implementing RFID tags, Farrar noted, “we can tell how much each employee is trimming per hour, which helps us reward high performers and spot inefficiencies.” Farrar highlighted a $250,000 photo-optical sorting machine powered by AI that reduced labor …