Study reveals lack of data analysis and use of AI in logistics

Transportation and logistics professionals in the United States and Europe say their companies are lagging in three areas of business: artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability and supply chain visibility. This is according to a recent study by location data and technology company Here Technologies, released this week.

The study of more than 900 transport and logistics professionals in Germany, the UK and the US identified gaps in technology investment and sustainability goals, as well as a lack of significant progress in supply chain visibility initiatives among logistics companies. On the technology side, only half of professionals surveyed said their organization used basic data analytics in their operations, and only 25% said their organization leveraged AI capabilities. The findings highlight what the researchers called “the untapped potential of AI,” which includes data analysis supported by machine learning and can facilitate tasks such as fleet routing optimization, maintenance predictive and rationalization of strategic decision-making processes. The study finds that for most businesses, cost is the biggest barrier to implementing AI and other technologies, followed by “potential disruption to existing services” and “lack of expertise internal “. When it comes to the environment, the study reveals that most companies do not prioritize sustainability, despite the importance given to the subject globally. Most respondents in all three countries said their organizations did not have sustainability goals, with 27% saying these goals were “in development” and 33% saying that their organization had no such goals and had no intention of developing sustainable development indicators. Respondents revealed more progress in supply chain visibility efforts, but still said their organizations were falling short of their goals. Three in four professionals surveyed said their company was making “some progress toward real-time supply chain visibility,” but fewer than one in four said they had made “significant progress.” Respondents said ocean freight is the mode of transportation with the least real-time visibility, while trucking operations have the most real-time visibility into their supply chains. Here Technologies has partnered with UK market research company YouGov to conduct its “On the Move” study with more than 900 professionals from transportation and logistics companies of all sizes.