{"podcast":{"title":"Vineyard Underground","slug":"vineyard-underground-6280933","podcast_index_feed_id":6280933,"rss_url":"https://f364ccd0-b8ab-4504-aea4-3e21b899bc22.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://www.vineyardundergroundpodcast.com/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/a/b/3/9/ab390a1f09536c4d27a2322813b393ee/Final_Vineyard_underground_1.jpg","author":"Fritz Westover","episode_count":100,"summary":"What if you could hang out with experienced grape growers, ask them about the science of grape growing, vineyard operations, and more; then take an insight or two to improve your vineyard and ultimately the quality of the wines you produce? That's what we do each week on the Vineyard Underground. Hosted by Fritz Westover –– viticulture expert more than 20 years of experience in the vineyard industry –– every episode is an in-depth look at grape growing methods, care, and even complicated matters of fertilization and pest and disease management? The goal is to provide you with an understanding of the complicated aspects of viticulture science so that experienced and even first-time grape growers will be able to understand and implement new practices in their vineyard.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-09T18:17:07.711312+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/vineyard-underground-6280933"},"episode":{"title":"086: Viticulturists vs AI with Dr. Justin Scheiner","slug":"086-viticulturists-vs-ai-with-dr-justin-scheiner","published_at":"2025-12-09T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/vineyard-underground-6280933/086-viticulturists-vs-ai-with-dr-justin-scheiner","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/vineyard-underground-6280933","url":"https://f364ccd0-b8ab-4504-aea4-3e21b899bc22.libsyn.com/086-viticulturists-vs-ai-with-dr-justin-scheiner","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/f364ccd0-b8ab-4504-aea4-3e21b899bc22/VU_Ep086_Master.mp3?dest-id=3650511","summary":"Growers are turning to AI for vineyard advice — but what happens when the algorithms get it wrong? In this episode, Fritz sits down with Texas A&M Extension Viticulture Specialist Dr. Justin Scheiner to put artificial intelligence to the test and reveal where it helps…and where it falls flat. Fritz and Justin walk through real vineyard questions — on pruning cuts, choosing between cane and spur pruning, designing an effective spray program, and diagnosing puzzling leaf symptoms — then grade the answers provided by AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot. Justin explains why, despite its convenience, AI can't replace Extension or experienced viticulture support. He breaks down how human experts interpret nuance, adapt recommendations to site-specific realities, and help growers navigate complex issues like fungicide resistance and disease pressure — areas where AI often oversimplifies to a fault. Listeners will come away with a grounded perspective on how to responsibly use AI in vineyard decision-making: as a tool for learning, not a blueprint for management. Justin also shares updates on forward-facing research at Texas A&M, including irrigation strategies powered by sensors and machine learning, and new work aimed at improving winery efficiency. In this episode, you will hear: AI can provide helpful general information — but often misses context critical for vineyard decisions. Pruning advice from AI may be incomplete or incorrect; human expertise is still essential. Spray program recommendations from AI can be risky without resistance management and site-specific strategy. Leaf symptom diagnosis requires more than a photo — pattern, vine history, and testing matter. Follow and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a 5-star re…","meta_description":"Growers are turning to AI for vineyard advice — but what happens when the algorithms get it wrong? In this episode, Fritz sits down with Texas A&M Ext…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4085,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/vineyard-underground-6280933/episodes/086-viticulturists-vs-ai-with-dr-justin-scheiner/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/vineyard-underground-6280933/086-viticulturists-vs-ai-with-dr-justin-scheiner.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}