In the latest episode of the Logistics Business Conversations Podcast, Peter MacLeod sits down with Trimble’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, Jonah McIntire, to discuss the transformative impact of AI on the transportation and logistics industry. The conversation delves into how AI, particularly generative AI, is not just a buzzword, but a powerful tool delivering tangible value and enhancing human capabilities within the supply chain.
A common misconception about AI in logistics, McIntire notes, is equating it solely with data science. "Most people are still applying a paradigm from the statistical AI or symbolic AI age. So what that means is that they think AI is equivalent to data science." However, the emergence of generative AI is changing this perception. McIntire clarifies, "the latest generation of AI, generative AI, is more equivalent to just raw intelligence. It's a very unique, clever 23 year old who can come into your business and you can multiply them a million times if you want to."
Transporeon, for example, leverages AI to address inherently multi-party problems in logistics, such as running procurement events or providing real-time shipment status updates. These issues generate unique datasets that no single company could replicate, providing a rich training ground for AI. McIntire emphasises a core principle at Transporeon: "you should go for maximum autonomy of software... you should just go as fast as you can to autonomy." This philosophy drives the development of solutions that automate critical functions, freeing up human operators for more strategic roles.
The podcast highlights specific applications of AI, including automating shipment tracking and proactively identifying deviations and providing real-time, accurate estimates for vehicle arrival and departure times. These applications lead to a significant shift in daily operations. McIntire envisions a future where "a planner or dispatcher who's firefighting today, I think will become within a few years an AI boss over 4 or 5 agents who are firefighting on their behalf." This doesn't eliminate human roles, but rather elevates them, allowing logistics professionals to manage and leverage AI agents for increased efficiency and resilience.
Ultimately, customers seek AI-powered solutions to improve revenue, lower costs, and stabilise operational variability. As McIntire concludes, "AI is a tool right now at the same stage as maybe mobile phones were in the past, when people asked, will this help boost my revenue? Can it lower my costs? Can I make my operations more predictable?" AI is a means to achieve these enduring business objectives, empowering logistics companies to navigate challenges and thrive in an increasingly complex world.
For more insights, listen to the full podcast episode with Jonah McIntire on Logistics Business Conversations.
