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Innovations in digital technologies, especially in artificial intelligence (AI), promise substantial benefits to the agricultural sector. Agriculture is increasingly expected to ensure food security and food safety while at the same time considering the environmental aspects. AI in the agricultural sector offers the potential to feed a continuously growing global population and still contribute to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite its promises, the use of AI in agriculture is still limited. We argue that the slow uptake is due to the diverse ways in which AI impacts the agri-food industry, due to the diversity of foods, supply chains, climates, and land in the agricultural sector. We propose that this is also exacerbated by ethical concerns arising from AI use, the varying degrees of technological development and skills, and the economic impacts of agricultural AI. A literature review of multiple disciplines in …