Below is the latest edition of Modern Retail’s Supply Chain Weekly newsletter, which goes out on Mondays at 10 a.m. ET, and dives into all things logistics and supply chain during a tumultuous time for the retail industry. To receive this weekly in your inbox, click here.We’re a far cry from a fully automated supply chain. But some companies are already seeing real benefits from artificial intelligence through hyper-targeted, specific processes that speed up workflow and operations.
That’s according to the new 2026 State of Logistics report from Kearney, sponsored by Penske Logistics. With ongoing conflict in the Middle East and shifting tariff policies, AI advancements are proving a bright spot in a year marked with uncertainty.
“The investment case for AI and automation has grown more compelling by the quarter, driven by persistent labor, scarcity, energy volatility, and the scale of complexity that organizations must now manage,” the report says.
The 3PL platform C.H. Robinson, for instance, built up proprietary AI tools to read inbound shipper emails, classify the intent and reply with a quote. This allows it to book about 3,000 appointments per day across its 26,000 locations.
In another case, freight and logistics company ArcBest says it has used AI to optimize routes, yielding around $15 million in savings.
