In the trucking industry, logistics management is one of the most important parts of the job.
Most transporters have special divisions for carrying out their existing resources in the most efficient manner possible.
More specifically, this means helping trucking companies decide how they can move the most freight to the most clients while expending the fewest resources. Unsurprisingly, this process involves a lot of calculations about routes, resources, and return-on-investment for any move a carrier takes.
But while the topic of smart machines and artificial intelligence has some people worried about driverless trucks changing the industry, what could A.I. do for logistics departments?
Tracking Struggle is Huge
Trucking companies have a lot to keep track of. From the patchwork of regulations governing their line of work to the numerous costs they must cover, carriers must think ahead if they want to succeed.
Sometimes unexpected variables can disrupt even the most well-thought-out plan. A route can be disrupted due to accidents or weather. A cost can become more expensive without warning. A new client could want to work with the carrier, or a current client could drop them.
All these possibilities mean planning out things can be hard since the industry can change on the fly. But with A.I. growing by leaps and bounds, there could be new possibilities in logistics.
Can Algorithms Make Tough Decisions?
A.I. and cognitive computing aim to help machines make decisions based on pre-established criteria and think the same way a human would.
Logistics companies could benefit from implementing A.I. solutions. When one route or client becomes compromised for whatever reason, the algorithm could be programmed to generate the best plan given the new information.
Transporters would have to program these algorithms with information about their inventory, supply chains, and goals to get the output they wanted. But once the tech is a bit more refined, A.I. could make a big splash in logistics.
Will People Lose Their Jobs?
A.I. is still in its infancy, viewed as a blessing by some and a potential threat by others. For the time being, it won’t have any major impact on the jobs of logistics professionals.
Even if it will be refined, humans will likely still be involved in the equation for some time to come. But using A.I. could help carriers make tough decisions in a matter of seconds – a helpful possibility in an industry where every second count.
