WHAT’S THE WORD AI PARADOX Inside supply chain organizations, AI is already automating sourcing, supplier risk, and forecasting at enterprise scale, but adoption is lagging because roles, incentives, and decision authority haven’t been redesigned to work with the technology, says ORO Labs’ Lance Younger. He calls this the AI paradox.
The Language of Logistics
Retail Reality: PHYGITAL DEFINITION: The blending of physical and digital shopping experiences. Almost half of U.S. shoppers (45%) use phones while in-store, finds a recent Vestcom study. Many use their mobile phones to look up product information while
in-store, with these digital behaviors expected to deepen. This highlights an opportunity for brands to make physical and digital experiences enhance each other. For example, they can use deep-linked QR codes on tags, signs, or packaging to extend in-store engagement beyond the shelf and create a more connected path to purchase. –Sébastien Breateu, Founder and CEO, QIMA PAY ATTENTION TO BONDED WAREHOUSES “Bonded warehouses aren’t new, but their relevance surged in 2025. By storing goods in a customs- controlled environment, companies could defer duties until the moment products were released into U.S. commerce. That delay created two major advantages: improved cash flow and the possibility of paying less if tariff rates dropped before release. With last year defined by
In short, the technology is enterprise- ready, but supply chain organizations are not. According to Younger, companies can follow the example of leading organizations and: • Redesign procurement and supply chain roles to be AI-first, not AI-assisted • Automate tactical work while rebuilding trust in AI-driven decisions • Use AI agents to absorb labor pressure without burning out teams • Close the skills and confidence gap before it becomes operational risk
rapid policy shifts, that flexibility matters. But bonded programs only work when compliance is airtight. Customs requires precision—item- level tracking, clear audit
SHADOW AI “Shadow AI—when individuals use commonly available tools like ChatGPT, Grok, or Perplexity without oversight at work—potentially raises serious data privacy and compliance concerns. The corporate benefits of GenAI’s potential is unlocked when leaders drive secure, strategic adoption with risk management as a priority.” —Ulf Persson, CEO, ABBYY More than one-third (36%) of transport and logistics leaders admit that a driving factor for introducing GenAI was that employees were already using it on a Bring-Your-Own-Software basis for personal productivity, which impacts security concerns over shadow AI, found an ABBYY survey conducted by Opinium.
trails, and strict control over when and how goods move. Warehouse management systems (WMS) allow operations to maintain real-time visibility, enforce workflow controls, and prevent premature release of goods. This strategy allows importers to hold inventory strategically, time duty exposure, and stay compliant even as enforcement tightens.” —Amy Dean, VP of Operations, SC Codeworks
22 Inbound Logistics • January 2026
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