The Future of Farming is Autonomous, with Brett McMickell of Kubota

from Agtech - So What? · host Brett McMickell, Sarah Nolet, Matthew Pryor

We’ve hit a tipping point for autonomy in agriculture, so how far off is fully autonomous farming? In this episode, Matthew Pryor sits down with Brett McMickell, Chief Technology Officer at Kubota North America, to unpack his view on what autonomy can deliver in agriculture and why it’s closer than many people think.Brett’s career spans spacecraft control systems and multi-vehicle autonomy. Today at Kubota, he’s helping guide autonomy strategy inside one of the world’s largest and oldest agricultural equipment manufacturers. Brett’s focus is about ensuring the technology solves on the ground problems for farmers and is driven by customer demand, rather than by the tech itself.Matthew and Brett discuss:What supervised autonomy will look like in 1 - 3 years.Why smart implements and sensing are just as important as autonomous power systems.Why AI in agriculture is still under-appreciated.What autonomy will look like in 10 years (without human intervention).How autonomy could completely change farm layouts, machine sizes, and operating metrics.How Kubota decides whether to build, partner with, or acquire new technology.Useful Links:Kubota USA InnovationKubota acquires Bloomfield Robotics, so what?Kubota to acquire automation company AgJunction - Future FarmingKubota Concept Tractor | Innovation | Kubota Global SiteKubota launches first autonomous hydrogen-fuelled tractor - Farmers WeeklyHow can agtech startups and corporates do more together?Seeing into the future of farm autonomy (w/ SwarmFarm Robotics)Have we hit a tipping point for autonomy in ag?For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe the information is correct, we provide no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.

What this episode covers

What does it take to move autonomous farming from concept to reality? Kubota CTO Brett McMickell shares lessons from space systems, agtech startups, and one of the world’s largest equipment manufacturers, offering a grounded view on scaling autonomy, partnering with OEMs, and solving real problems on-farm.

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The Future of Farming is Autonomous, with Brett McMickell of Kubota

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This episode was published on January 21, 2026.

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