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Kent-based berry producers Berry Gardens will use artificial intelligence to help protect its supply chain from hackers who could cause 'major disruptions' its fresh produce supply.

The company said it was upgrading its digital defences to protect its entire digital infrastructure from disruptive attacks and insider threats by using Darktrace, a British tech start-up which has more than doubled its revenue in the past year.

Berry Gardens joins a growing list of industry leaders, including Sunsweet, the world’s largest manufacturer of dried fruit, using AI for security.

By employing artificial intelligence, the software learns the unique ‘pattern of life’ for every user and device at Berry Gardens, allowing the organisation to spot anomalous behaviour that would otherwise go unnoticed.

“The reality is that attacks played out in cyber space are having real-world consequences, and for us they have the potential to threaten our ability to operate our rapid supply chain and continue to supply quality fresh produce to the UK’s major retailers,” said James Judge, IT manager atBerryGardens.

“Whether a targeted campaign or an accidental compromise, I know that Darktrace’s AI will catch in-progress threats, safeguarding our corporate and industrial systems before the horse has bolted.”