The deal involves a $305 million investment and should wrap up later in September. Blue River's team is staying in its Sunnyvale, California home. That's to maintain the "same entrepreneurial spirit" that led to its growth, Deere says.

While Deere hasn't outlined its exact plans, the AI-assisted spraying is just part of a larger strategy. Machine learning is an "important capability for Deere's future," the company explains -- this is about making the technology an integral part of its equipment. It knows farming will be increasingly automated, and this buyout could help it stay ahead of the curve.