Last Updated on February 20, 2025 by Brian Beck
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years you will have noticed a few things that are changing such as, AI, automation and a lack of qualified labor to perform work that we need accomplished. This is no different in the landscaping industry, specifically the management of turf. Long gone are the days of roving bands of 12-year-olds with mowers looking for work on the weekend. In a post Covid world America has lost its desire to work. The younger generation has a poor work ethic and we are not having enough children to fill the void of 50 and 60-year-olds that are standing in the gap because they cannot retire. These are the struggles that we currently face as a country and a culture. The silver lining to this dilemma is that we now have tools to help us fill the deficiencies and get things done in the way that we’ve never done before.
I am of course talking about automated robotic mowing. I got involved with the industry back in 2018 when I realized, perhaps ahead of the crowd that the labor market was in trouble and the classic adage, “Good help is hard to find”, has become a national tragedy. America is getting older and there are not enough young people to serve the needs of a growing and aging society. This is changing with modern technology that will serve to assist, enhance and stand in for those that are missing or unwilling. The bright side of this is that this modern technology will improve an industry that is outdated by decades. The mechanization that we have been relying on to leverage our time will now be automated to assist us in a way that was impossible just a few short years ago. Not only will tis improve the labor situation but it will improve customer service, reduce impact on the environment, reduce wasted energy and resources, improve employee working conditions, elevate the quality of the job and improve the health of the turf, I mean, that’s why we are in business anyway, right?
2025 look sto be a promising year that we can improve and enhance the lawn mowing experience. Change is coming and it looks good.
