Rewriting the Food System: How Helios AI Is Tackling Climate and Supply Chain Chaos
Can AI Fix the Broken Food System?
In Episode 22 of the Becoming Radical Podcast, Host Michael Gaizutis sits down with Francisco Martin-Rayo, founder of Helios, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming agriculture—from climate disruption to supply chain chaos.
Francisco brings a wild mix of experience: he's been in tech, imported avocados (yes, really), and even worked in management consulting. But what really pushed him to start Helios was a pair of bold questions: What if we could predict agricultural disruptions before they happen? And what if we gave that power not just to big corporations, but to everyone?
They delve into how Helios is utilizing explainable AI to assist companies, ranging from small operations to giants like Libby’s, in making more informed supply chain and procurement decisions.
This one’s for founders, builders, and anyone thinking about the real-world impact of AI, not in some far-off future, but right now, in the systems that feed us.
Key Takeaways
Climate Is Already Disrupting Agriculture: Food systems are fragile, and Helios uses AI to help companies predict disruptions and act early.
Explainable AI Builds Trust: Transparent models are critical in legacy industries like agriculture, where decisions affect billions in contracts.
The Middle Class of Work Is Disappearing: AI is replacing repetitive jobs, leaving extremes of low-wage manual labor and high-skill creative/strategic work.
Faster Data, Better Decisions: Platforms like Helios democratize insights that were once available only to Fortune 100 firms.
Real Impact Over Vanity Features: Users don’t always want dashboards; they want timely insights in their inbox.
Climate Adaptation Needs Product Innovation: New crops, new procurement strategies, and faster feedback loops are vital.
Build With, Not For: The future belongs to tools that respect the user’s workflow and time.
