How Freight Brokers Stay Relevant with AI and Human-First Strategies

Freight brokerage and third-party logistics (3PL) companies define global supply chains. With recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), there are huge opportunities to flip freight operations on it’s head - and make leaps in internal efficiency, data accuracy, and customer service.

However this comes at the risk of losing the human connection that defines logistics. At Cartage, we believe that while AI can significantly enhance 3PL operations, a human-first approach remains essential. Here’s how AI is reshaping the freight brokerage industry and why retaining control over human relationships is crucial.

How AI will impact freight brokers

AI technology will help freight brokerage and 3PLs optimize load matching, automate routine administrative tasks and help companies deliver a better customer experience.

Key areas where AI is making a notable impact include:

1. Predictive Load Matching: AI-powered predictive analytics help 3PLs and freight brokers match loads with carriers more effectively. By analyzing historical data and identifying patterns, AI can predict carrier availability and optimize load assignments, ensuring higher efficiency and utilization rates.

2. Automated Back-Office Operations: AI-driven automation is transforming back-office tasks such as invoicing, billing, and document management. Automated systems can handle tasks like processing invoices and bills of lading, significantly reducing manual errors and operational costs.

3. Real-Time Visibility and Tracking: AI algorithms provide real-time visibility into shipments, tracking goods from origin to destination. This improves transparency, reduces the risk of delays, and enhances customer satisfaction by providing accurate delivery estimates.

4. Customer Service and Communication: AI chatbots and virtual assistants enhance customer service by providing instant responses to inquiries, tracking shipments, and handling routine tasks. This frees up employees to focus on more complex issues, improving overall customer experience.

Maintaining a human-first approach

Despite the huge advancements AI brings to freight brokerage operations, maintaining a human-first approach is essential. At Cartage, we believe that automation should augment human capabilities, not replace them.

1. We Don’t Automate Everything: We automate straightforward tasks and flag the rest, leaving critical decisions to humans. This ensures that while routine processes are streamlined, people still run the business. If you get billed for $300 when you agreed on $200, that's a job for a person, not an AI.

2. We Maintain Human Relationships: Logistics is a people business. Your partners don't want to talk to an "AI agent", they want to talk to Cindy, who they been working with for 2 years. When we send an email, it’s from Cindy on her behalf—not from an “AI agent.” We focus on augmenting your employees, rather than replacing them. In this scenario, Cindy has more time for more critical tasks, while her routine emails are automated.

3. Customers Set the Rules: Every logistics company operates differently. Our automations are built to be customizable, allowing each company to tailor the system to their specific workflows and requirements. This flexibility ensures that AI enhances operations without disrupting established processes.

By prioritizing human relationships, ensuring customizability, and maintaining transparency, we help companies optimize their operations with AI while preserving the human nature of their business.

In our tasks automation module, you can see that emails are sent on the behalf of your employees, rather than via a separate "AI agent"

The future of AI for freight brokers

We envision a future where AI and human intelligence work hand in hand to drive innovation and efficiency.

AI is undoubtedly transforming the freight brokerage and 3PL industries, bringing numerous benefits and opportunities for growth. At Cartage AI, we’re hoping to shape this future with a human-first approach where automation enhances, rather than replaces, human capabilities. By prioritizing human relationships, ensuring customizability, and maintaining transparency, we can harness the full potential of AI while preserving the essential human element in logistics operations.

As we continue to innovate and develop AI solutions, our focus remains on empowering freight brokers and 3PL professionals with the tools they need to excel in a rapidly evolving industry. Together, we can create a future where AI and human intelligence work in harmony to drive efficiency, sustainability, and success in logistics.

As always, if we want to connect with us, schedule a call here!