AI BY THE NUMBERS 15 % Share of daily logistics decisions that will be made autonomously by 2028, thanks to AI agents, according to Gartner research.
By THOMAS EDWARDS , Director of Sales Engineering/Quality and ART VAN DER STUYF , Director of Supply Chain Strategy, iGPS Logistics In an environment increasingly constrained by tighter margins and higher efficiency demands, AI-powered machine vision can turn your quality assurance program from a potential weak link into one of your most critical strategic strengths. These systems combine high-resolution electronic “eyes” with complex neural networks that excel at identifying patterns and processing immense volumes of data. While they don’t replace all human decision-making, they are incredibly good at spotting tiny yet fundamental issues that could otherwise be overlooked. Take something as fundamental as the shipping pallet. Not long ago, sorting and inspecting 500 plastic pallets could consume one day. Human inspectors would have to examine pallets for signs of stress as well as contamination. Today, AI-powered systems equipped with AI-Powered Machine Vision Accelerates Supply Chain Quality Checks
30-40% Productivity gains Penske Logistics expects from its deployment of a new AI platform from Augment. Penske estimates these gains as the system can eliminate routine, manual processes and streamline follow-up workflows with carrier dispatchers.
SORTING/INSPECTING 500 PLASTICS PALLETS/AN HOUR
cameras and aided by AI algorithms can scan those same 500 pallets in one hour, spotting dirt and subtle imperfections that human eyes could miss. In some operations, the system doesn’t simply identify an out-of-spec pallet; it also automatically sorts it into a washing machine or a stack that needs repair.
Machine vision is also a core quality assurance asset in other areas of the supply chain. On food and beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturing lines, vision systems verify that labels match products, that cartons are secured, and that tamper- evident safety features are present. And then there are the “eyes in the sky” beyond the assembly and inspection lines. AI-driven vision systems are reshaping distribution centers, monitoring the flow of goods and identifying new ways to lay out racking systems and equipment to optimize space and throughput. Savvy supply chain leaders view machine vision not as an autopilot, but as a powerful decision-making assistant. This mindset ties into a main directive in supply chain quality assurance: building durable assets instead of chasing short-term savings.
25+ HUMAN TOUCHES PER LOAD
Amount of work expected to be eliminated by Hwy Haul’s agentic AI platform Miles . After deployment inside its own brokerage, Hwy Haul commercially released Miles to shippers, freight brokers, carriers, and TMS providers across North America in January 2026. The standalone, agentic AI platform is designed to make the end-to-end freight value chain fully autonomous. Its command layer supervises specialized AI agents, including quoting, booking, dispatch, load- monitoring, fraud-prevention, and compliance agents.
148 Inbound Logistics • January 2026
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