September 23, 2024
AI has regularly been making headline news for a couple of years now. It’s constantly either being sold as the next big thing or as the most likely driver of society’s downfall, but finding measured analyses of its true impact can be harder to come by.
To help remedy this situation somewhat, we’ve decided to take a realistic look at AI’s role in the future of logistics. From avoiding bottlenecks to providing a useful tool for human operators, here’s how we can expect to see AI used in the industry over the years to come.
First off, what does artificial intelligence development bring to the table? Essentially, the AI models being developed now often aim to do tasks that other systems carried out before, but much faster and more efficiently.
By adopting algorithms that can interrogate vast datasets and make accurate predictions, or learn patterns and suggest improvements, AI can be used to make a wide range of different processes safer, more reliable, and cheaper to operate.
It’s not a magic computer that will do everything for you, but in areas such as logistics where data analysis is key, it will likely play a central role in the decades to come.
These are a few of the main areas in which AI will have (and is already having) an impact.
Based on historical and real-time data, AI-powered systems are increasingly being adopted to predict demand and spot potential bottleneck issues. Essentially, these tools allow people to make far more informed decisions when it comes to supply chain optimisation, avoiding potentially costly mistakes as a result.
AI can also have a big impact on physical processes in the logistics niche. For example, when linked up to automated loading systems like those designed by Joloda Hydraroll, we can expect AI to facilitate even more impressive levels of automation.
By further reducing the need for human operators to carry out repetitive tasks, these systems cut costs and free up people to take a more ‘managerial’ stance with respect to the machines in warehouses.
With so many moving parts, the logistics niche is one defined by a constant onslaught of crises. As many of these will be unavoidable, what really matters is how you respond to these events. AI allows you to make rapid decisions based on all the available data, increasing agility in the face of crisis.
Clearly, while AI will play a big role in the future of logistics, it won’t ‘take over’ - instead, it will be leveraged by human operators to make them better at their jobs. By adopting this perspective, you can ensure that you spot any potential opportunities, helping you to stay ahead of the times.
It’s difficult to predict the future with any high degree of accuracy, and you should be suspicious of any overly confident claims about what’s to come. That being said, all of the predictions in this article are based on what is already happening - AI is here, and it’s likely here to stay.
