Human-machine symbiosis
Transport logistics is undergoing enormous transformation: global supply chains are more fragile than ever, data volumes are growing exponentially, skilled workers are in short supply, and customers are demanding greater transparency and speed. Against this backdrop, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important as a supporting technology – not as a replacement for humans, but as an intelligent partner in hybrid working models.
‘Humans are not being replaced, but complemented,’ emphasises Matthias Klump, Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano. In his presentation yesterday at transport logistic, Klump promoted a new understanding of digital collaboration. The trend is clearly moving towards ‘Industry 5.0’: instead of purely technology-centric digitalisation, the focus is shifting to the symbiotic connection between humans and machines – including in logistics. Humans remain the decision-makers, while AI submits data-based suggestions, identifies risks and makes processes more efficient. According to research, a hybrid team of humans and AI regularly delivers the best results – as in chess, where such teams even beat individual human and AI players.
Martin Friedrich, a scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, underscored this perspective with a look at practical applications. ‘We are operating in dynamic systems that are almost impossible for humans alone to oversee. AI can help manage complexity and improve decision-making.’ Forecasts on capacity utilisation, automated dispatching and predictive maintenance are just a few examples. Nevertheless, the widespread use of AI in logistics is still in its infancy. According to studies, around 88 percent of companies see potential in AI applications – but there is often a lack of data quality, internal expertise or acceptance within teams.
A key bottleneck is that most small and medium-sized logistics companies (SMEs) have neither the resources for their own AI projects nor sufficiently structured data. Added to this are data protection concerns and a lack of trust in black box systems. This is exactly where platforms such as ‘Omnistics’ come in – a software-as-a-service offering from Fraunhofer IML that provides modular AI applications. The aim is to make real-world use cases – such as forecasting tools for volume planning or automated customs information systems – accessible to SMEs.
People remain at the centre of this. According to Klump, the key to success is a technological design that is intuitive to use, offers real added value, leaves control in the hands of the user and allows time for testing (‘sandboxing’). Employees should be involved in development at an early stage to alleviate fears and promote acceptance.
AI in transport logistics is not a distant future trend, but a real opportunity – provided that technology and people are seen as equal partners. Those who start implementing practical AI solutions today will gain a decisive competitive advantage. (rok)
