Logistics 2025 Annual Review & Outlook
Executive Commentary
C . H . Robinson
Arun Rajan
Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer www . chrobinson . com Generative artificial intelligence is a compelling new development in freight tech because of its ability to perform processes across the life cycle of a load , unlocking levels of
CaDi Systems
Justine Kruger
Co-founder and Director www . cadisystems . com automation never achievable before .
Generative AI is often associated with reading and generating text , similar to a chatbot . There ’ s a place for that . But because it can mimic human cognition , its more powerful uses in the logistics industry are performing time-intensive tasks that would otherwise be manual , deriving value from unstructured data and amplifying the expertise that lies within people .
For example , generative AI makes it possible to create tools that handle customer transactions originating in email . A load tender coming in through a transportation management system ,
The supply chain , logistics and maritime industries are experiencing a surge in innovation driven by new technologies , particularly in the realm of carbon management . However , many companies remain hesitant to fully embrace these systems , such as a carbon transaction management system ( CTMS ), due to fears around cost , compliance and complexity . These fears are compounded by common mistakes , such as incomplete data collection , manual tracking and poor integration planning .
Accurate CO2 emissions tracking offers significant benefits , including cost savings , regulatory compliance and improved sustainability . Yet , many organizations struggle with inefficient processes , outdated tools and inconsistent or fragmented data . This lack of real-time visibility into carbon footprints prevents companies from fully realizing the advantages of advanced visualization and automated tracking tools .
The integration of carbon management systems into existing supply chains holds enormous potential for improving productivity and efficiency . Companies that successfully adopt these technologies can expect smoother operations , clearer insights and stronger positioning in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment . Moreover , the future of carbon management will be shaped by those who proactively address sustainability trends , adopt innovative solutions and prioritize long-term gains over short-term challenges .
Despite fears of operational disruption and high costs , those who take the plunge into carbon management technologies will ultimately gain a competitive edge , ensuring compliance , improving their carbon footprint and fostering a more sustainable and efficient future for their operations . Taking a longer-term approach to selecting a complete CTMS will future proof your investment in sustainable carbon solutions . A system that not only calculates and predicts carbon emissions for cargo movements , but also aims to offset Scope 3 emissions with complete offset , inset and credit management . Integrated carbon accounting and reporting capabilities will not just help you achieve environmental goals but also give your business the competitive advantage .
“[ Gen AI ’ s ] more powerful uses in the logistics industry are performing time-intensive tasks that would otherwise be manual , deriving value from unstructured data and amplifying the expertise that lies within people .”
Arun Rajan
“ The future of carbon management will be shaped by those who proactively address sustainability trends , adopt innovative solutions and prioritize longterm gains over short-term challenges .”
Justine Kruger
“ Property developers will have to capitalize non-traditional improvements such as materialhandling systems and robotics in order to attract sophisticated clients .”
Blaine Kelley a website form or an app could be automated years ago . The information to execute it is there in nice , organized fields filled in by the customer . But if a shipper sends an email , it might just say , “ Can you move 10 extra loads for me on Monday ?” and a knowledgeable person would have to handle that .
Now , you can build a generative AI tool that connects information in the email , detects what ’ s missing , knows how to fill in the blanks because your people trained it and makes smart decisions . Then it can perform the task of turning a load tender into an order for that customer ’ s unique freight .
The customer is served in seconds instead of hours . They can get better speed to market , more competitive pricing , the best-fit carrier and more advantageous appointments for pickup and delivery . Their account team is also freed up to do more strategic work .
Multiply that across many steps in the shipping process , performed thousands of times a day . Ultimately , generative AI can inject incredible efficiency into global supply chains and drive change on a massive scale .
CBRE
Blaine Kelley
Executive Vice President www . cbre . com
The US industrial warehouse market continues to stabilize with demand softening just as the development pipeline pauses . After a three-year run-up , rental rates have flattened , as taking rents have declined while landlords focus on occupancy .
Supply chain visibility into operational costs lacks accuracy , especially in the form of real estate forecasting and market insights . Frequently , operational leaders face “ mark to market ” rent resets driven by property owners , leading to 50 % price increases . Additional operating expenses are now fully passed through and have increased drastically during this recent expansion . For logistics companies , these resets directly affect margins .
Going forward , use of predictive
90 Journal of Commerce | January 6 , 2025 www . joc . com