The logistics industry is at the brink of an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. This sounds like a bold statement for an industry which is currently taking its first steps into digitisation, with close to half of air freight still being processed through paper waybills, shipping agents still communicating with carriers by phone and email, data entered into systems by operators with hours or days of delay, and serious operation planning often still being done in a spreadsheet. But the AI revolution is coming to logistics quickly, perhaps much sooner than expected - and if it does not come from within the industry, then it is likely to come from outside.
There are other similarly complex industries, such as the energy market, which also include network-based operations with separated supply and demand, and which are already deep into the AI revolution. So, we should rather ask: why is AI only reaching the logistics industry now? We can hazard the obvious answer: because, up to now, this was a traditional industry, with operation planning tuned to the capacity of human operators, and there was simply not enough external pressure to drive an external AI revolution. Until recently, the large players of the New Economy who might have had a skin in the game, Amazon in “the West”, and Alibaba group in “the East”, relied on more established logistics actors to grow and scale their e-commerce and distribution operations. This resulted in a complicated provider-client relationship between the incumbents and the new players, with little will to enter into direct competition. The lack of appropriate AI methods for the challenges in logistics didn’t help to speed up the process.
This story is from the September - October 2019 edition of Logistics Update Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September - October 2019 edition of Logistics Update Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Mauritius - A Future Hub For East & South Africa
Air Mauritius turned 50 in 2017, and is going strong in the troubled African aviation sector. As 2019 records a memorable year for the flag carrier of Mauritius, from adding new fleet to hosting the 51st AFRAA AGA, the airline is in a bid to position the country as a hub for Asia- Africa trade, Shalini Nair reports.
History Is Playing It Differently For Africa
Drones are the future of African e-commerce, but not in the near future. E-commerce players want necessary regulations and economically viable technology ready, Libin Chacko Kurian reports.
Spring In The Step For Africa's E-Logistics Startups
A steady flow of big-ticket investments is ensuring the wave of digitisation in Africa is more than a passing one. Logistics startups riding high on the back of technological support are building solutions to identify and bridge gaps in the supply chain. The challenges for these startups go beyond mere lack of infrastructure, and the inflow of capital is making sure their eyes are on the goal of making logistics accessible, Blessy Chettiar reports.
Fedex Picks Or Tambo Airport For Its Maiden Cargo Flight In Africa
Setting its goal to boost air cargo volumes, OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg has welcomed FedEx to operate its dedicated cargo flight B777 weekly.
Closer Collaboration Better Infrastructure Smarter Technology - A Must For A Sustainable Future
Sustainability and need for collaboration dominated the narrative of the latest editions of the Flower & Perishable Logistics Africa conferences in Nairobi, Kenya. Speakers and attendees deliberated on importance of infrastructure development, exploring new markets, and looking beyond the traditional avenues.
African Air Cargo Market Bucks Global Trend
Ongoing trade tensions between the US and China has taken a toll on global air cargo growth, but the only sector that has seen a silver lining during these troubled times is the perishable or special cargo space. It is no surprise then that the African air cargo market, which accounts for a majority of perishables exports, has been bucking the trend. The continent is also on the cusp of a digital transformation and is making major strides in infrastructural growth and liberalisation, which is set to take the African air freight sector to greater heights, Surya Kannoth reports.
Top Global Megatrends Driving Sustainable Logistics
The logistics industry world over is going through rapid transformation that we have seen never before. Crystal Lassiter writes on top five global megatrends driving sustainable logistics.
Time Is Ripe For APIs In Logistics Supply Chain
Adopting technologies like APIs has become crucial for supply chain management stakeholders to be able to offer quick quotes, compare rates, make bookings, track and deliver value to their customers, Blessy Chettiar reports.
The Future Looks Bright, Exciting, Digital And Sustainable
Our world is constantly undergoing change. Take a look around – technology is transforming the way we live, do business, transact and interact. Just like any other industry, the logistics space is also facing a new era of unprecedented change as digitalisation and customer expectations evolve simultaneously. From connected warehouses to autonomous last-mile delivery services, new technologies are enabling efficiency optimisations and new operating models. And while the push towards digitalisation continues, what remains equally critical is the need to remain sustainable. By understanding how sustainability in logistics measures impact production and benefit companies, shippers and logistics players can work towards a better, sustainable tomorrow.
Bringing Artificial Intelligence Into The Supply Chain Who And How?
Zuzanna Kosowska-Stamirowska writes how data acquisition and algorithm design need to be defined - or redefined - for the existing market players to make the AI revolution work.
