John Deere

HQ
Moline, Illinois, USA
Total Offices: 8
69,000 Total Employees
Year Founded: 1837

John Deere Innovation & Technology Culture

Updated on February 03, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Innovation Pace

John Deere blends historic engineering excellence with modern AI-driven innovation. Beyond being a leader in precision agriculture and heavy machinery, the company integrates cutting-edge technologies like machine learning, edge computing, and advanced sensing into its products to let equipment sense and act in real time — for example, distinguishing crops from weeds and optimizing spraying efficiency. John Deere also pioneers alternative energy powertrains and connectivity systems that unlock new productivity insights for customers.

Tools & Technology Quality

John Deere’s technology stack is highly modern, combining AI, robotics, digitalization, and cloud connectivity to solve real-world customer challenges. Its Sense & Act systems use cameras, machine learning, and edge computing to interpret the environment and make decisions on the machine itself. Connected digital platforms like the Operations Center act as a digital twin of a farm or jobsite, helping customers monitor, analyze, and improve operations in real time. Deere’s innovation extends to alternative energy solutions, including electrification and hybrid-electric power, addressing both sustainability and performance needs.

Adoption of Emerging Tech

John Deere adopts and scales new technology as soon as it delivers value and reliability to customers. Its Sense & Act capabilities are already in use today, building on decades of engineering and adoption of automation features. Connected digital services are evolving with millions of connected machines and billions of machine messages processed daily, while adopters can already leverage autonomy and machine learning to increase productivity. Deere’s alternative energy initiatives — from electrification to renewable fuels — also move forward as market viability and customer needs mature.

John Deere’s tech culture values purpose-driven innovation: technologies aren’t developed for novelty but to solve customer challenges like labor constraints, sustainability, and efficiency. The organization pushes cross-disciplinary collaboration across data science, AI, electronics, and mechanical engineering to build solutions that think, see, and act in the field. With decades of manufacturing heritage and a growing footprint in digital and autonomous systems, developers and engineers work where deep domain expertise meets next-generation computing.

Innovation Pace
Tools & Technology Quality
Adoption of Emerging Tech

John Deere’s approach to technology centers on bridging physical machinery with intelligent systems — from connected fleets and data platforms to autonomous operations and sustainable power solutions. Their innovations aim to help customers do more with less: reducing chemical inputs, increasing productivity, and producing actionable insights from real-time data. Deere also invests in alternative energy and electrification to expand performance while minimizing environmental impact, showing a pioneering commitment to technology that matters both for customers and the planet.

John Deere Employee Perspectives

As we now look forward, we’re talking about applying machine learning, and the models we want to build. The challenges are always there, but come in different formats. We’ve learned to work together and bring each other’s strengths to the table. 

Jayashree Karnam
Jayashree Karnam, Engineering Manager

We’re focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement to ensure ongoing success in defending customer value unlocked by John Deere’s technology stack.

Carl Kubalsky
Carl Kubalsky, According to Director and Deputy CISO

We’re building security into the DNA of John Deere, because we understand that security is a core component of the high-quality products and services our customers depend on.

James Johnson
James Johnson, Chief Information Security Officer

We have an internal saying, ‘You are the shield,’ and it signifies to employees that each one of us has a shared responsibility to help protect our company from cyberattacks

Lynn Bestold
Lynn Bestold, Director of IT Internal Audit