Alex Shumway-Jones

Prospects of supply chain automation have the industry abuzz. It’s even become a major sticking point in the International Longshoremen’s Association contract negotiations with the United States Maritime Alliance. The dockworkers do not want ports to automate processes out of fear they will lose their jobs to machines. Today, there are seemingly endless possibilities for optimization. Terms like generative artificial intelligence and machine learning have become commonplace in discussions about ways to gain efficiencies and reduce costs. Can man and machine work together as businesses leverage automation for optimization? Beyond the Buzz: Understanding the Automation Imperative Machine learning, a subset of artificial intelligence (AI), is described by Business News Daily as a later-stage development in which machines take in data on their own and then analyze it. Automation, on the other hand, is fixed on repetitive tasks; after a job is performed, an automation system “thinks no further.” The Business News Daily article explained that “automation involves an entire category of technologies that provide activity or work without human involvement,” while AI involves “a machine exhibiting and practicing something similar to what we describe as human thinking – that is, the ability to interact in thousands of ways with the…

Supply chain management is constantly evolving. Whether you see the glass as half full or half empty, this dynamic environment brings both challenges and opportunities to the fore. The good news is that, while challenges continue to emerge, experts and thought leaders who offer insights and strategies are changing the industry, too. This article highlights three such visionaries — Searoutes Co-Founder & CEO Pierre Garreau, Noodle.ai Chief Operating Officer Michael Ciatto, and Owlery Co-Founder Travis Downs — who not only offer fresh perspectives but are also driving change through their innovative approaches. Three Voices Transforming the Supply Chain These experts have emerged with pragmatic solutions to many of today’s logistical problems, ushering in the potential for a more effective supply chain operation. True, many might consider them “new kids on the block,” but their thought leadership already resonates well across the entire industry. Pierre Garreau, Searoutes “Today’s businesses are under pressure to improve visibility over carbon emissions, as regulators and consumers alike place greater emphasis on emissions reduction. However, businesses struggle to build accurate visibility over emissions, instead turning to greenwashing and estimation as a means of signaling decarbonization efforts. Searoutes uses the physical characteristics of vessels, planes, and trucks,…