The European logistics sector is losing ground in the global AI race, according to a study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), commissioned by software supplier Alpega. The adoption rate here is five times lower than in the Asia-Pacific region.
The study, based on a survey of 180 executives, shows that only 6% of European companies are at an advanced stage of AI adoption, compared to 14% in North America and 31% in Asia. At the same time, approximately 70% of shippers are still in an exploration or pilot phase, while 44% of logistics service providers have already rolled out AI solutions. It is also striking that 40% of shippers today already take AI capabilities into account when choosing a logistics partner.
The study confirms that logistics service providers are driving AI adoption in the sector. They use AI not only for efficiency gains, but also as a commercial distinguishing feature.
Applications include the automation of administrative processes such as e-mail processing, quotation management and shipment tracking. In addition, chatbots, automatic replies and proactive notifications are also increasingly used to improve customer service.
Strong investments are being made, especially in transport planning and implementation. About 64% of logistics providers use AI for predictive analytics, network optimization and empty mileage reduction. Tracking and visibility are also gaining ground, including applications involving image and video data and detection of anomalies.
