Artificial intelligence is already reshaping logistics, but its greatest value today lies in taking the friction out of repetitive, time-consuming tasks. We’ve seen firsthand how AI tools like advanced OCR and natural language processing can transform customs clearance. Importers tell us that what used to take hours of manual data entry now takes minutes, freeing them to focus on running their businesses rather than wrestling with forms. One customer put it simply: “I filed my own importing information in literally five steps."
That efficiency comes from AI’s strength in processing and structuring large amounts of unstructured data. At scale, this means faster filings, fewer errors and more transparency, all the things that mid-sized importers — who make up the vast majority of US shippers — have long been asking for.
But AI also has its limits. It can’t replace human judgment when it comes to strategic decision-making, nor can it resolve the complexities of regulatory gray areas on its own. Customs clearance, for example, isn’t just about reading a form correctly. It’s about interpreting shifting regulations and understanding the broader trade environment. That’s why we see AI not as a replacement, but as an enabler. AI is a partner that helps importers operate more efficiently while people continue to provide oversight, context and trust.
Ultimately, AI in ocean shipping and logistics should be measured not by how futuristic it sounds, but by how much time, money and stress it saves the people moving goods around the world. On that front, the progress is already very real.