Apples and AI

You would not think that fruit and AI could have anything in common. However, Charlie Wu is the link between the two. He comes from a family of farmers (his grandparents were apple farmers in China). Since he studied computer science at Cornell University, it makes sense that the young and entrepreneurial Charlie Wu found a way to connect his families heritage, technology, and the modern day needs of agriculture.

Through his short stay at Cornell, a prominent agriculture school, Charlie was able to connect with “fruit professors”. Through researching and talking with these professors, Charlie learned that “even the largest farms in the nation basically have no idea what is actually growing out in their fields.” With his skill in robotics as well as computers he realized he could offer a solution to this problem that affects key parts of food production in the USA today. Having seen a need in the industry and conceived of a way to solve the problem, Charlie Wu dropped out of Cornell and became a member of the Thiel Fellowship (founded by entrepreneur and key PayPal investor Peter Thiel). With the money offered by the Thiel Fellowship Charlie was able to pursue his mission. He subsequently founded Orchard Robotics which, as of September 2025, has raised over $22 million from investors. Through Orchard Robotics Charlie is able to meld AI and robotics to create devices that scan surroundings and help farmers know the condition of their crops and help them analyze data to make decisions on crop care and harvest, which helps save money for the farmers and the produce industry as a whole.

From finding a pain in the market to taking the actions to form the solution, Charlie Wu’s work sets an example for young entrepreneurs. His ability to look in odd places for unexpected answers to issues many would either ignore or simply not think of is both encouraging and worth emulating.