Building the Foundation for AI Adoption in Transportation

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a crucial technology for shippers and logistics service providers (LSPs) in the transportation industry. Despite the majority of companies engaging with AI in some form, according to the Descartes 2026 Transportation Management Benchmark Survey, fewer than one in five organizations have successfully scaled AI implementation.

The primary reason for this lag is the lack of a robust digital foundation that supports AI. Data quality stands out as the dominant barrier, affecting 45% of LSPs and 33% of shippers, as incomplete and fragmented transportation data hinders the effectiveness of AI. Integration complexity presents another challenge, with both shippers and LSPs reporting integration issues at a rate of 38%.

While AI adoption is a top priority for both groups, real-world usage remains limited, with only 19% of shippers and 15% of LSPs reporting full-scale AI deployment. The survey indicates that the greatest potential for AI lies in addressing operational gaps in visibility and automation. Real-time visibility remains a significant challenge, with 27% of shippers and 67% of LSPs seeking AI solutions for this purpose.

Automation also presents a prime opportunity for AI, as 25% of shippers and 26% of LSPs cite it as a key challenge. With a focus on building a strong digital foundation, shippers and LSPs can harness the full potential of AI to transform transportation performance.