AI ROI: Why 90% Satisfaction Still Means Leaders Want MORE!

Most leaders in transportation and logistics are satisfied with their AI and technology investments, with 90% reporting that the return on investment (ROI) met or exceeded expectations, according to a new report from Sparq. Despite this satisfaction, 62% of these leaders are pushing for vendors to provide faster payback. The report, based on surveys of over 300 respondents, highlights the need for investments to be tied directly to measurable business outcomes rather than technology milestones.

Key challenges identified include legacy systems (cited by 25% of respondents), data quality, talent gaps, fuel costs, and labor costs. Data infrastructure is identified as a priority for 2027 spending, but leaders are dissatisfied with the quality of insights produced by their current systems. Only 60% of those who have implemented forecasting systems feel confident in the results, with confidence growing as the horizon narrows to two to three months.

Investment is expected to focus on predictive technologies like machine learning and natural language processing, which would help connect disparate data systems and provide actionable insights for operations teams.