BEST PRACTICES FOR GLOBAL TRADE
“Companies have invested heavily in tracking, but many still don’t have a full, real-time picture of their shipments in transit,” Daigle says, noting that a recent report from Tive nds 37% of businesses still lack mid- mile tracking, leaving cargo exposed to delays, theft and damage. “That means too many companies are reacting to disruptions instead of preventing them—leading to rejected shipments, lost revenue, and supply chain inef ciencies that could have been avoided,” he says. “The most successful organizations have moved beyond traditional risk management to ‘uncertainty as a competitive advantage’— using their ability to navigate ambiguity as a dierentiator in markets where their competitors are paralyzed by unpredictability.” —Anand Ravindran, FourKites For AI to be effective, it requires timely and comprehensive data that can be fed into its models. That makes Internet of Things (IoT) solutions more important. “Beyond elevating real-time shipment awareness, IoT is quickly becoming a prime source of robust, timely, and reliable ground-truth data,” Daigle says. “This data is the foundation that elastic supply chains need to remain exible and resilient during the industry’s pushes and pulls.” Despite the necessity of tech solutions today, “technology alone isn’t the answer” in modern global trade, Daigle notes. “The key is real-time situational awareness,” he says. “The companies that thrive in this climate can see disruptions unfolding as they happen and adjust in real time.” n
Many companies still lack visibility across their global supply chains, leaving cargo exposed to delays, theft, and damage. Supply chain platforms like Tive can help shippers easily create and track orders, enabling a full, real-time picture of their shipments in transit.
decisions, especially during disruptions,” Ravindran says. “AI agents eliminate this by automatically connecting systems and handling routine coordination tasks.” For example, a tracking agent monitors shipments 24/7, catches problems early, and coordinates with carriers. A supplier agent processes documents and chases missing information without human intervention. “As a result, the traditional ‘war room’ response becomes unnecessary when agents can handle the coordination automatically,” Ravindran says. “AI agents work around the clock, scale instantly during disruptions, and learn from each situation.” Adoption of AI-powered predictive analytics rose from 35% in 2024 to 45% in 2025 as companies seek to get ahead of potential disruptions. “Those leading the way are investing in predictive analytics, AI-powered risk assessment, and automated alerts that allow them to adjust routes, anticipate delays, and mitigate risks before they impact operations,” Daigle says.
“AI can scan unstructured and non- obvious data—such as supplier nancial lings, social media trends, port congestion reports, weather anomalies, and geopolitical news—and spot patterns that hint at emerging risks,” Carrico says. AI presents decisions “already framed and weighted,” Carrico adds, rather than waiting for supply chain managers to notice a problem and then decide what to do. “Humans can’t sift through 10,000 signals a day, but AI can. And it doesn’t sleep,” he says. “AI helps simplify the navigation of global trade complexities. “AI says, ‘Here are the three most likely disruptions in the next 10 days, and here’s your best set of mitigation actions based on cost, risk, and sustainability goals,’” Carrico adds. “It’s less about dashboards and more about actionable foresight that’s pre-integrated into work ows.” 8. INVEST IN AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGIES AI agents are also reshaping supply chains, making it easier for shippers to switch from reactive analytics of complex operations to proactive decisions. “Teams spend a lot of time juggling disconnected systems just to make
9. GET VISIBILITY
Visibility remains one of the most crucial supply chain elements—but also one of the sector’s greatest weaknesses.
124 Inbound Logistics • July 2025
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