ROADMAP TO
ALL SIGNS POINT TO…
The biggest shift will be the rise of autonomous vehicles , filling a growing workforce gap as aging drivers exit the market.
By 2030 , automation will reshape how logistics companies plan and move freight, especially as major ports adopt fully automated crane and yard systems that speed up container unloading and improve schedule reliability. At the same time, the shift toward smaller, more ecient aircraft will reduce cargo uplift across many lanes. Logistics teams will need to plan earlier, secure space sooner, and optimize routing to keep major moves on schedule. JOSEPH PACHECO , Managing Director, Freight Minds
PAUL VOLKMAN , VP - Managed Operations, Evans Transportation
Planning becomes a continuous, simulation-driven loop. Forecast rituals and heroic expediting don’t just lose ground; they become liabilities. JEFF METERSKY , SVP of Strategy & Innovation, GAINSystems
Supply chains for $5B+ organizations will be heavily automated with much of the transactions managed by AI agents. AI will be the primary foundation for analysis and generation of first and second level planning with humans reviewing and validating the plans. JENNIFER CHEW , VP, Solutions and Consulting, Bristlecone
Humanoid pilots will become increasingly common across the Fortune 100, outpacing traditional physical automation because of their adaptability and range. At the same time, agentic AI will be fully integrated into supply chain teams and systems, making it increasingly dicult to tell whether an interaction is with a human or a bot. BRIAN PACULA , Partner, Supply Chain, West Monroe
Full tech-to-tech integration between shippers and carriers will be standard. Carriers and 3PLs unable to fully integrate with shippers’ digital ecosystems through automation and system-to-system communication will fall behind. As visibility, automation, and exception resolution become AI-enabled and always on, manual operations will be left in the past. FRANK GRANIERI , Chief Commercial Ocer, A. Duie Pyle
One of the biggest shifts will be a far more autonomous supply chain , powered by AI-driven technologies. AI will move beyond basic tasks and become a tactical decision-making partner, enabling supply chain managers to evolve from daily firefighters to creative strategists and customer relationship-builders. For example, on the logistics side, if a truck is trying to make a delivery, and there is a delivery problem, an AI engine will have already identified and resolved it before a dispatcher ever has to get involved. JEFF PEPPERWORTH , President and CEO, iGPS Logistics
Warehouse robotics will shift from closed, proprietary systems to open platforms where developers and AI agents can write workflow logic directly into the robotics layer. Most robotic systems today operate as tightly controlled, full- stack environments, but this model cannot keep up with the pace of innovation or the diversity of workflows inside modern 3PL and ecommerce networks. As AI becomes the primary orchestration engine for labor, inventory, and task allocation, robots will need deeper interfaces that allow external software to shape real-time decision making. DAVE TU , President, DCL Logistics
88 Inbound Logistics • January 2026
Powered by FlippingBook