There is a disconnect between AI ambitions and practical implementation realities, according to a recently released survey, State of AI in Logistics from Pando, a logistics AI company, and JBF Consulting, a logistics strategy advisory firm.
"The logistics industry is at a pivotal moment, with next-generation AI set to fundamentally reshape how businesses operate and how people work," said Mike Mulqueen, executive principal at JBF Consulting, in a statement."Successful AI implementation takes more than just integrating a new technology; it also depends on reliable data, clear objectives, and a willingness to change traditional processes. The organizations that approach AI as a strategic differentiator are poised to create a substantial competitive advantage."
Key findings from the report include:
- 54% of companies remain in value discovery stages with regard to AI adoption within their logistics function.
- 91% have increased AI investments over the past 24 months, with 75% planning significant increases in the next two years.
- 83% cite data quality as their most significant technical barrier.
- 92% believe AI can help navigate ecosystem complexity in logistics.
"In such a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world, AI adoption in supply chain and logistics is no longer optional; it’s foundational to resilience," said Abhijeet Manohar, CTO and co-founder of Pando, in a statement. "This report highlights how global supply chain teams are using AI every day to drive high-impact decision-making. Conversations with leaders across the industry have validated that early adopters want to pilot fast, provide value in weeks, and scale without the drag of traditional change management. This shift toward 'rapid time to value' is accelerating AI’s transformation from an aspirational goal into a real-time decision engine powering global logistics."
According to the report, 38% of large enterprises now run dedicated data-science teams that build bespoke logistics-AI solutions and collaborate with specialist AI-first vendors. The once binary build-vs-buy debate has therefore matured into a pragmatic hybrid model. History shows what follows. When desktop PCs replaced ledgers, clerks became spreadsheet power-users; when the internet and cloud arrived, on-prem admins morphed into remote work orchestrators. AI agents represent the same kind of tipping point. Rather than eliminating jobs, they redefine them - freeing people to tackle higher-order exceptions, strategy, and customer innovation.
“What makes this moment different is the emergence of Agentic AI and AI systems that can operate autonomously within organizational guardrails, take proactive decisions, and collaborate with humans in real-time," continued Manohar. “This is a significant leap from past AI applications that were largely behind the scenes in a support role. In the current supply chain climate, AI agents offer the kind of dynamic decision-making and adaptability that modern logistics demand."
Looking ahead, the study also reveals that several key developments will shape the logistics industry:
- AI as a competitive edge: Organizations taking decisive action to implement AI solutions now, rather than waiting for ideal conditions, gain compounding advantages in data quality, institutional knowledge, and operational workflows.
- Human AI collaboration: Rather than complete replacement, we expect to see a reconfiguration of human roles to focus on judgment, creativity, and relationship management, with AI handling routine decisions and processes.
- AI adoption across ecosystems: Integration across the ecosystem will continue to intensify. AI capabilities will increasingly bridge organizational boundaries, enabling more seamless coordination across the fragmented logistics landscape.
