While enthusiasm for AI is strong and investment continues to grow, most organizations are still in the early stages of adoption, according to a study released by Pando and JBF Consulting.
In fact, the study reveals a critical inflection point in AI adoption, exposing the disconnect between AI ambitions and practical implementation realities.
"Supply chains no longer operate on a 9-5 schedule; they move in real time, where a single disruption can overturn a company’s entire operations overnight," says Abhijeet Manohar, CTO and co-founder of Pando. "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. 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."
"The logistics industry is at a pivotal moment, with next-generation AI set to fundamentally reshape how businesses operate and how people work," says Mike Mulqueen, executive principal at JBF Consulting. “This report comes at a critical time, offering practical insights for industry leaders looking to integrate AI into their logistics strategies to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving environment. 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 takeaways:
- 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.
- 38% of large enterprises now run dedicated data-science teams that build bespoke logistics-AI solutions and collaborate with specialist AI-first vendors.
