David Maloney has been a journalist for more than 35 years and is currently the group editorial director for DC Velocity and Supply Chain Quarterly magazines. In this role, he is responsible for the editorial content of both brands of Agile Business Media. Dave joined DC Velocity in April of 2004. Prior to that, he was a senior editor for Modern Materials Handling magazine. Dave also has extensive experience as a broadcast journalist. Before writing for supply chain publications, he was a journalist, television producer and director in Pittsburgh. Dave combines a background of reporting on logistics with his video production experience to bring new opportunities to DC Velocity readers, including web videos highlighting top distribution and logistics facilities, webcasts and other cross-media projects. He continues to live and work in the Pittsburgh area.
Unless you had a rich uncle, you’re probably destined to spend about 45 years of your life working. For most of us, time on the job represents about one-third of our existence, so ideally, our work lives will prove both rewarding and enjoyable.
As technology advances, the kind of work we do changes. There’s not a lot of call now for blacksmiths or wainwrights. Today’s jobs use different technologies from those that engaged our ancestors. Likewise, the jobs of tomorrow will be different from those of today, with much of the change driven by technological advancements.
Ian Kahn is a technology writer and futurist, and the founder of a consultancy known as The Futuracy. His firm provides education about the future and emerging technologies, and helps companies determine how ready they are for the future and how disruption-proof their organizations are.
Kahn was recently a guest on DC Velocity’s “Logistics Matters” podcast, where he spoke with Group Editorial Director David Maloney. What follows are some excerpts from their conversation.
Q: Will work in general be different in the future than it is today?
A: There are so many different types of work. For many people, work is about doing things and accomplishing tasks. For others, it is creative work, thinking work. So there are many different types of work. Within the logistics industry and supply chain, there is a lot of work that’s manual—it’s about moving goods from one place to another. But there is also creative work, thinking work, such as back-office work.
What’s happening right now is that work across the board is changing. Automation is taking over some tasks, although there are still many roles that are not changing, that will stay the way they are.
We keep hearing about what technology is doing and the transformation it’s creating, but we also have to ask what parts of the jobs and roles are changing? Is it changing the repetitive tasks or the creative tasks? The physical tasks or some other type of task? Automation and robotics are here, and there are some exciting things coming down the pipeline.
Q: What are some of the most influential aspects of technology that will affect supply chain jobs?
A: Right now, we’re hearing a lot about artificial intelligence and how it will change the way repetitive tasks are done and eliminate the need for human intervention. Great. I love the idea, but let’s have proof of that by creating some use cases. Let’s actually make the lives of workers better and more efficient.
There’s also robotics, autonomous cars, and self-driving trucks. Now, that part of the industry is also exciting, and maybe the truck operators, the professionals who are on the road, can get some kind of a break. Maybe they can drive shorter routes or make use of different routing strategies. That’s a promising technology that can help the industry become more efficient. But that conversation is much bigger than just having self-driving vehicles on the roads. We need the right infrastructure. We need the right transportation systems and technologies in order for that to be successful.
Then you have blockchain technology, which can fundamentally alter the way payments are made, the way customers are paying their vendors. It could address the challenge of money being stuck in escrow, where it is waiting to be paid out to someone. Technology such as blockchain can change that, but we still need to have those initial use cases.
Q: You mentioned how jobs are going to change in the future and will obviously be influenced by technology. Are our high schools, colleges, and technical schools properly preparing students for the jobs of the future?
A: I think they are partially preparing students for the future, but the challenge also for schools, universities, colleges, and training institutes is that technology is changing more rapidly than curriculums can change. Unfortunately, universities and educational institutions cannot change their curriculum every six months. We have to pay close attention to identifying the bigger trends that are changing industry.
Right now, I think there’s a need for improvement with respect to education pertaining to emerging technologies, how these technologies work. And it’s not just about teaching people how jobs are changing; it’s also about how they can use these technologies to their benefit. How their jobs can be made easier. How their jobs can become more efficient, and how they can contribute more value to the economy, to the industry, and to their employers.
Q: Will the next generation of students have to acquire different kinds of skills to prepare for future work?
A: If you look at the past, we were living in a very manual, mechanized world, where initially technology—like steam engines and electricity—was used mainly to move things. We then went to automation, which enabled large factories to produce goods at a rapid pace.
We are now living in the era of cognitive technologies, where the emphasis is on how technology is able to eliminate human error. It enables faster processing, the production of more widgets per hour, and so on and so forth.
Technology to me is different in many ways from what it was, say, 20, 30, or 50 years ago. So, the definition of what it can do has changed. People who have been in the workforce for years have a completely different relationship with their work compared with kids who are in school right now and who will be in the workforce five or 10 years from now. Their skill sets are going to be different because the world they operate and work in is going to be driven by different parameters than in the past.
The future workforce has to be more in tune with technology. They already are, right? You see kids dealing with technology really well. I feel that the future jobs are going to be less hands-on and more creative, more cognitive.
Q: Are there other skills tomorrow’s workers will need beyond what you just talked about?
A: I believe at the end of the day, we all are human. We need the skills to communicate and to work with other people and understand complexity. Right now, we’re seeing high demand for data scientists, people who can make sense of the vast amount of data that technology generates. I believe that—the data side of the industry—will be a good place to look for positions within logistics.
Communication, public relations—any channel that makes that happen—is great. Sales is always a good place to be because salespeople will always be in demand.
We know the general direction we’re headed in is, of course, specialization, and people need to keep their skills up. Don’t assume that because you’ve had a lot of training, you’re done with that. You’ve got to constantly keep learning.
Q: How will AI shape the future of work?
A: As we stand on the precipice of the AI revolution, it’s evident that the jobs landscape will undergo significant transformation. Historically, technology has always been a catalyst for change in the workplace. Consider the accounting industry: Half a century ago, accountants relied on pen, paper, and ledgers. Today, the scene is vastly different, with technologies like Excel and advanced risk management software reshaping the industry’s operations. This evolution isn’t exclusive to accounting; sectors like manufacturing, retail, and agriculture are witnessing similar technological metamorphoses. Furthermore, as technology evolves, it’s not just about jobs changing or becoming obsolete; it’s also about the birth of new roles and opportunities.
Q: Which jobs will AI impact the most? And what about the supply chain industry?
A: Jobs characterized by repetitiveness and susceptibility to human error stand to be most influenced by AI. This encompasses roles in back-office operations, content review, copywriting, paralegal tasks, marketing content creation, and even certain aspects of sales, operations, and leadership. However, it’s crucial to view AI not as a threat, but as a tool. Instead of replacing humans, AI can be harnessed to enhance human capabilities, enabling professionals to make more informed decisions, leverage personal digital assistants, and drive superior business outcomes.
For instance, within the supply chain industry, AI can revolutionize human resource functions. Imagine HR professionals being able to sift through thousands of resumes in minutes, shortlisting candidates based on precise criteria set by AI algorithms. This not only streamlines the hiring process but also ensures a higher-quality pool of candidates.
Q: How should companies integrate AI into workforce planning and job structuring?
A: AI is more than just a technological advancement; it’s a game-changer. Its unparalleled ability to automate tasks and analyze vast data sets in record time offers businesses a competitive edge. Companies should, therefore, view AI as a strategic partner. By integrating AI-driven systems, businesses can elevate their data analysis, enhancing automation and decision-making processes. As we move forward, it’s not about replacing the human touch but about augmenting it with AI’s precision and efficiency.
A move by federal regulators to reinforce requirements for broker transparency in freight transactions is stirring debate among transportation groups, after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a “notice of proposed rulemaking” this week.
According to FMCSA, its draft rule would strive to make broker transparency more common, requiring greater sharing of the material information necessary for transportation industry parties to make informed business decisions and to support the efficient resolution of disputes.
The proposed rule titled “Transparency in Property Broker Transactions” would address what FMCSA calls the lack of access to information among shippers and motor carriers that can impact the fairness and efficiency of the transportation system, and would reframe broker transparency as a regulatory duty imposed on brokers, with the goal of deterring non-compliance. Specifically, the move would require brokers to keep electronic records, and require brokers to provide transaction records to motor carriers and shippers upon request and within 48 hours of that request.
Under federal regulatory processes, public comments on the move are due by January 21, 2025. However, transportation groups are not waiting on the sidelines to voice their opinions.
According to the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), an industry group representing the third-party logistics (3PL) industry, the potential rule is “misguided overreach” that fails to address the more pressing issue of freight fraud. In TIA’s view, broker transparency regulation is “obsolete and un-American,” and has no place in today’s “highly transparent” marketplace. “This proposal represents a misguided focus on outdated and unnecessary regulations rather than tackling issues that genuinely threaten the safety and efficiency of our nation’s supply chains,” TIA said.
But trucker trade group the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) welcomed the proposed rule, which it said would ensure that brokers finally play by the rules. “We appreciate that FMCSA incorporated input from our petition, including a requirement to make records available electronically and emphasizing that brokers have a duty to comply with regulations. As FMCSA noted, broker transparency is necessary for a fair, efficient transportation system, and is especially important to help carriers defend themselves against alleged claims on a shipment,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a statement.
Additional pushback came from the Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC), a network of transportation professionals in small business, which said the potential rule didn’t go far enough. “This is too little too late and is disappointing. It preserves the status quo, which caters to Big Broker & TIA. There is no question now that FMCSA has been captured by Big Broker. Truckers and carriers must now come out in droves and file comments in full force against this starting tomorrow,” SBTC executive director James Lamb said in a LinkedIn post.
The “series B” funding round was financed by an unnamed “strategic customer” as well as Teradyne Robotics Ventures, Toyota Ventures, Ranpak, Third Kind Venture Capital, One Madison Group, Hyperplane, Catapult Ventures, and others.
The fresh backing comes as Massachusetts-based Pickle reported a spate of third quarter orders, saying that six customers placed orders for over 30 production robots to deploy in the first half of 2025. The new orders include pilot conversions, existing customer expansions, and new customer adoption.
“Pickle is hitting its strides delivering innovation, development, commercial traction, and customer satisfaction. The company is building groundbreaking technology while executing on essential recurring parts of a successful business like field service and manufacturing management,” Omar Asali, Pickle board member and CEO of investor Ranpak, said in a release.
According to Pickle, its truck-unloading robot applies “Physical AI” technology to one of the most labor-intensive, physically demanding, and highest turnover work areas in logistics operations. The platform combines a powerful vision system with generative AI foundation models trained on millions of data points from real logistics and warehouse operations that enable Pickle’s robotic hardware platform to perform physical work at human-scale or better, the company says.
Bloomington, Indiana-based FTR said its Trucking Conditions Index declined in September to -2.47 from -1.39 in August as weakness in the principal freight dynamics – freight rates, utilization, and volume – offset lower fuel costs and slightly less unfavorable financing costs.
Those negative numbers are nothing new—the TCI has been positive only twice – in May and June of this year – since April 2022, but the group’s current forecast still envisions consistently positive readings through at least a two-year forecast horizon.
“Aside from a near-term boost mostly related to falling diesel prices, we have not changed our Trucking Conditions Index forecast significantly in the wake of the election,” Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking, said in a release. “The outlook continues to be more favorable for carriers than what they have experienced for well over two years. Our analysis indicates gradual but steadily rising capacity utilization leading to stronger freight rates in 2025.”
But FTR said its forecast remains unchanged. “Just like everyone else, we’ll be watching closely to see exactly what trade and other economic policies are implemented and over what time frame. Some freight disruptions are likely due to tariffs and other factors, but it is not yet clear that those actions will do more than shift the timing of activity,” Vise said.
The TCI tracks the changes representing five major conditions in the U.S. truck market: freight volumes, freight rates, fleet capacity, fuel prices, and financing costs. Combined into a single index indicating the industry’s overall health, a positive score represents good, optimistic conditions while a negative score shows the inverse.
Specifically, the new global average robot density has reached a record 162 units per 10,000 employees in 2023, which is more than double the mark of 74 units measured seven years ago.
Broken into geographical regions, the European Union has a robot density of 219 units per 10,000 employees, an increase of 5.2%, with Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Slovenia in the global top ten. Next, North America’s robot density is 197 units per 10,000 employees – up 4.2%. And Asia has a robot density of 182 units per 10,000 persons employed in manufacturing - an increase of 7.6%. The economies of Korea, Singapore, mainland China and Japan are among the top ten most automated countries.
Broken into individual countries, the U.S. ranked in 10th place in 2023, with a robot density of 295 units. Higher up on the list, the top five are:
The Republic of Korea, with 1,012 robot units, showing a 5% increase on average each year since 2018 thanks to its strong electronics and automotive industries.
Singapore had 770 robot units, in part because it is a small country with a very low number of employees in the manufacturing industry, so it can reach a high robot density with a relatively small operational stock.
China took third place in 2023, surpassing Germany and Japan with a mark of 470 robot units as the nation has managed to double its robot density within four years.
Germany ranks fourth with 429 robot units for a 5% CAGR since 2018.
Japan is in fifth place with 419 robot units, showing growth of 7% on average each year from 2018 to 2023.
Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact business procurement processes through advancements in three areas—agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents—according to Gartner Inc.
Those functions will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs). And 72% of procurement leaders are already prioritizing the integration of GenAI into their strategies, thus highlighting the recognition of its potential to drive significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness, Gartner found in a survey conducted in July, 2024, with 258 global respondents.
Gartner defined the new functions as follows:
Agentic reasoning in GenAI allows for advanced decision-making processes that mimic human-like cognition. This capability will enable procurement functions to leverage GenAI to analyze complex scenarios and make informed decisions with greater accuracy and speed.
Multimodality refers to the ability of GenAI to process and integrate multiple forms of data, such as text, images, and audio. This will make GenAI more intuitively consumable to users and enhance procurement's ability to gather and analyze diverse information sources, leading to more comprehensive insights and better-informed strategies.
AI agents are autonomous systems that can perform tasks and make decisions on behalf of human operators. In procurement, these agents will automate procurement tasks and activities, freeing up human resources to focus on strategic initiatives, complex problem-solving and edge cases.
As CPOs look to maximize the value of GenAI in procurement, the study recommended three starting points: double down on data governance, develop and incorporate privacy standards into contracts, and increase procurement thresholds.
“These advancements will usher procurement into an era where the distance between ideas, insights, and actions will shorten rapidly,” Ryan Polk, senior director analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, said in a release. "Procurement leaders who build their foundation now through a focus on data quality, privacy and risk management have the potential to reap new levels of productivity and strategic value from the technology."