After AI surges through the logistics workforce, what human roles will be left standing?

While automation has long changed the way freight moves, the next wave of AI will significantly redefine the human contribution behind global trade.

For freight forwarders and logistics businesses beginning to incorporate AI into their workflow, the near future is exciting. There is major potential for AI to cut costs and time with a wide range of processes, from optimising route plans and delivery schedules, to inventory management, demand forecasting and administration. According to McKinsey, more than 70% of employees believe that within two years, AI will change 30% or more of their work. Other research has found that skills needed in freight and supply chain roles are changing about 25% quicker than in other jobs affected by AI.

Despite the promises of much better access to the right information, the future is also daunting, as it will eliminate or significantly change a large number of jobs very quickly, and disrupt the human element within logistics.

The obvious area of supply chain management where AI will begin to impact human contribution is in administration, and departments overseeing manual processes. For freight forwarders, carriers, and shippers, it will eventually eliminate all traditional administrative work in logistics, from data entry and documentation to customs declarations and rate quoting. This doesn’t mean any other process currently dependent on people is protected – roles pertaining to tracking updates, shipment routing, or pricing analysis can all be improved using AI.

For instance, Fluent Cargo’s recently launched Ask Fluent is an AI-powered search capability which directly connects the customer to live logistics data through conversational queries, similar to ChatGPT. While numerous AI chat tools have been developed in the logistics industry and beyond, most rely on static data which is out of date. The ability to connect with real-time shipping updates and a range of other intelligence allows organisation to make faster, more informed decisions. This shift in AI proficiency will eventually democratise knowledge in the logistics industry, as information improves from years of processing data sets.

How will AI reshape jobs in logistics?

AI’s integration into workflow will elevate and value the high performers who use this technology to innovate and improve their output, but in many cases it will push out those who aren’t adding value.

There is also a risk that AI’s speed and efficiency in more manual, administrative logistics roles could sideline emerging talent. Young professionals or those still early in their careers will have less chances to enter the workforce through these roles, which will create a gap in mentorship and future leadership.

As a result, management and HR must evolve, as AI is moving too quickly for traditional structures to keep up. Methods used to identify talent, measure success, and train staff must be adjusted to fit within the future of AI workflows. Businesses which utilise talent management tools to cultivate creativity and resilience will be successful, and those which don’t grow their resourcing to match will start to see gaps in both talent and onboarding.

It’s not only the internal processes which are shifting. AI will handle queries, quotes, and tracking requests, often acting as a direct representative to customers. This will disrupt customer service levels, creating challenges and making empathy, understanding and problem-solving in complex situations the differentiator. The best logistics providers will offer transparency, proactivity and partnership with their customers.

As AI accelerates decision making and increases market visibility, there will be a need to find creative ways to maintain margin through value-added services, dynamic pricing models and customer loyalty to avoid the even greater downward pressure on pricing. In other words, there will be a greater dependence on sustainable and advanced customer experience models.

This lean towards the customer was a significant factor when developing our Ask Fluent tool. But AI initiatives like this won’t exist in isolation, or without any human input. Service experience will become the battleground as AI commoditises operational speed and accuracy, and the logistics companies which balance this technology with human connection will lead the way.

What’s next?

When AI can deliver the same service that a person once did, back-office roles in offshore hubs are likely to be replaced. Roles like data processing, quoting and scheduling are vulnerable to being swept away, since AI will be able to automate these functions locally and globally. The cost savings that initially drove the offshore Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry will now be achievable through AI.

For the offshore business model, if its cost-effective labour is made cheaper in-house, there’s a compelling case for businesses to drift away from offshore business processing. Outsourcing models will need to reinvent themselves or face being replaced.

As offshore business processing roles disappear, automation alone won’t be the answer. With AI likely to standardise much of customer interaction, service quality across the industry could start to look the same. The true differentiators will be those logistics providers that blend human empathy and proactivity with AI capability—using technology to enhance, not replace, their brand’s voice and relationships. Those who manage to deliver both efficiency and genuine human connection will set the benchmark for customer experience in the next AI era.

There is no question that AI will disrupt a significant number of jobs very quickly, at all levels of the supply chain and logistics workforce. With the right considerations and innovation, freight forwarders and logistics businesses can be leading examples in how this technology can be adopted at pace, while accounting for human impact. It’s exciting but daunting how quickly AI will start to alter the industry, and there is a responsibility for leaders to understand what is coming.

 

By Archival Garcia, Fluent Cargo CEO