42% of Logistics Leaders Still Holding Back on Agentic AI

There is a disconnect between the promise logistics leaders see in Agentic AI and their readiness to deploy it at scale as they start 2026, according to a new survey from ORTEC.

While nearly all respondents recognize Agentic AI’s potential to modernize planning and execution, 42% of organizations report they are not yet exploring Agentic AI at all and remain focused solely on traditional AI and machine learning (ML) approaches.

The survey, presented to more than 2,000 transportation, logistics, and supply chain executives across North America in November 2025, found that only a small minority had active Agentic AI pilots or deployments at the end of 2025, even as 23% say they plan to pilot Agentic AI within the next 12 months - putting 2026 squarely in focus as a test-and-learn year for autonomous decision-making in logistics.

Expectations for impact are high, as respondents cite drastic cost savings through fuel and mileage optimization (30%), increased operational resilience (22%), and improved data quality (20%) as their top anticipated benefits.

That optimism is balanced by very real concerns about getting Agentic AI production-ready in 2026. Respondents cite high integration costs with existing systems as their top frustration (32%), followed by a lack of model explainability (26%) and poor data quality (22%).

For organizations that have yet to adopt AI/ML in core logistics processes, the biggest barriers are lack of in-house expertise (23%) and unclear ROI (21%), making 2026 a critical year to prove value with focused, well-scoped initiatives rather than broad, high-risk transformations.

Leaders also highlight structural risks unique to Agentic AI, including the need to redesign business processes for autonomous decision-making (42%) and reliance on high-quality, real-time data feeds (22%).

Despite these obstacles, executives are including Agentic AI as they plan roadmaps for 2026 and beyond. First- and final-mile route scheduling is seen as the top target for AI-driven reinvention (35%), followed by global supply chain network design (20%).

When asked what would most accelerate adoption, respondents prioritized clear ROI measurement frameworks (30%), peer case studies from similar organizations (25%), and seamless integration with existing planning systems (24%) - three ingredients many leaders intend to pursue in 2026 as they move from experimentation toward scale.

“Executives are entering 2026 with a clear mandate: make Agentic AI real, measurable, and safe for operations,” said Daphne de Poot, senior vice president of Operations, Americas, for ORTEC, in a statement. “Our research shows they believe Agentic AI can fundamentally improve cost, service, and resilience, but they need transparent decisioning, reliable data, and a phased approach that keeps planners in control while AI gradually takes on more of the repetitive and complex decision-making work. These survey findings provide a detailed view into how leaders are thinking about the next wave of AI - beyond predictive analytics and into autonomous, decision-making systems that can continuously optimize complex logistics networks."