AI in milk: from data to designing more sustainable products connected to the future

The digital revolution has reached dairy. Artificial intelligence (AI), which is already profoundly impacting sectors such as healthcare and technology, is also beginning to transform how we develop dairy products, make technical decisions, and connect production with consumers.

A recent article published on the portal eDairy News details how global companies in the sector, such as Fonterra, are incorporating AI to accelerate research and development (R&D) cycles, improve decision-making, and personalize their products. But how can this movement connect with the realities of Brazilian dairy farming? What role does data play in this process?

From research to product: the new cycle of innovation

According to the article, integrating AI into R&D allows companies to:

• Reduce the development time of new products by simulating characteristics such as processability and shelf life;

• Increase research efficiency , using tools such as DairyDetective , which intelligently accesses more than 17,000 internal documents;

• Democratize access to knowledge , with AI-based “virtual experts” trained to answer questions and guide processes.

The transformation isn't just happening in laboratories. It extends throughout the entire chain, from data collection in the field to strategic interpretation, including communication between technical, regulatory, and commercial areas. And that's where Brazil's potential comes in.

AI in the field: what is already within our reach?

In the Brazilian dairy industry, the challenge lies not only in generating new data, but also in structuring and intelligently using existing information . Projects like Despertar Regenerativo , led by ESGpec, demonstrate that this transformation has already begun. With solutions such as:

• PEC Calc – a tool that calculates the carbon footprint of milk based on real farm data, including management, feeding, productivity, and input use.

• PEC Map – a platform that organizes and integrates sustainability indicators (e.g., environmental metrics, animal welfare, and carbon footprint), generating data intelligence for diagnostics, comparisons, and decision-making at scale.

• PEC Scores – a set of objective indices that assess farms' engagement with sustainable and regenerative practices. These include the BEA Score , which focuses on animal welfare based on five domains, and the ESG Farm Score , which analyzes criteria from the Dairy Sustainability Framework adapted to the Brazilian reality.

In addition to collecting data, these tools pave the way for the adoption of predictive models and AI-powered analytics , enabling climate scenario simulations, automated tracking of sustainable practices, or optimized nutritional recommendations based on farm profiles, among other developments.

Data Products: What Can Brazil Create?

The concept of a data product —structured, reusable, and decision-oriented—is gaining traction in global innovation. In dairy farming, it can manifest itself in several ways:

• Automated reports with personalized recommendations for reducing emissions;

• Dynamic certification panels , which assess whether a farm is ready to access low-emission markets;

• Product formulation solutions , connecting herd, climate and market data with the development of regional and functional dairy products.

These possibilities depend on a single factor: the quality of the data collected and the culture of information use .

Trust, culture and collaboration: the three pillars of the future

The eDairy News article warns that the success of AI in industry depends on three essential elements: data quality , trust in systems and a culture of adoption .

In the Brazilian countryside, this means:

• Train and support early adopters who test, adjust, and help improve the tools;

• Ensure that data collected in the field is complete, consistent and contextualized;

• Build a culture of feedback, continuous learning and valuing technical knowledge .

Innovation is already in motion

The digitalization of dairy farming is no longer a plan for the future; it's already happening, and it doesn't require unattainable technologies. What's needed are organized data, accessible tools, and a network of people committed to the transformation .

At ESGpec, we believe that AI, when used well, doesn't replace field experience. On the contrary, it enhances our performance. What was once merely technical analysis can now lead to product innovation, access to new markets, and a stronger reputation for Brazilian milk.