AI and the future of logistics

W. P. Carey supply chain events explore how emerging technologies are disrupting logistics operations and the workforce.

​AI is rapidly reshaping supply chain management, with Gartner projecting that by 2028, generative AI will power 25% of logistics key performance indicators. As AI integration accelerates, how can industry leaders adapt?

At two inaugural events hosted by W. P. Carey, experts tackled the opportunities and challenges emerging technologies present for supply chain management and the future of work.

On Feb. 28, W. P. Carey gathered students, faculty, and logistics industry experts at the Center for Responsible Supply Chain Management Distinguished Lecture Series and the Supply Chain Executive Consortium (SCEC) Spring Forum. Event discussions expanded on the school's commitment to preparing the next generation of leaders to tackle industry challenges such as job stability, automation, and the ethical implementation of emerging technologies.

As part of its commitment to fostering ethical and sustainable supply chain practices, the business school's Center for Responsible Supply Chain brought in Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Yossi Sheffi as the first keynote speaker in its Distinguished Lecture Series at the ASU Tempe campus.

Before Sheffi took the stage, Charles J. Robel Dean Ohad Kadan highlighted the university's commitment to serving the community, Phoenix's growth as a semiconductor hub, and how the center will impact logistics during his welcome address.

"We are extremely innovative, and this center is going to lead that innovation in the supply chain area," said Kadan.

Building on Kadan's remarks about innovation in logistics, Center for Responsible Supply Chain Director and W. P. Carey Distinguished Chair Karen Donohue emphasized why Sheffi was the ideal keynote speaker. As a leading expert in his field, she noted that he was uniquely positioned to share how emerging technologies are redefining supply chain operations and employment opportunities.

"Yossi is a driving force behind some of the most influential supply chain research of our time," said Donohue. "At its core, responsible supply chain management is about resilience. It's about how we move goods, but also systems that are sustainable, responsible, and evaluative to change. Few people have studied these challenges as deeply as Yossi."

During his presentation, Sheffi proposed that the only way to predict the future of supply chain operations is to look to the past. While integrating AI like autonomous vehicles, warehouse robotics, and demand and crisis forecasting into logistics organizations has raised questions — and fears — among employees about the future of work, inventions like the loom — a machine used to weave cloth — assembly lines, and agricultural tools have impacted the nature of work in similar ways for hundreds of years.

Sheffi discussed job elimination throughout each industrial revolution by breaking down the job disruption process into three phases:

1. Deskilling, or partially automating jobs that were previously done exclusively by humans. Examples include self-checkout machines and Google Maps.
2. Scaling, or doing more work with less labor. Examples include the implementation of animals and specialized tools into agricultural work, allowing people to cultivate more land at a faster pace.
3. Elimination of jobs due to automation. Examples include elevator operators and telegram messengers, whose positions were eliminated with the inventions of automated elevators and telephones

Sheffi emphasized that job destruction is a slow process, and during each industrial revolution, some jobs were eliminated, but new jobs were created.

"Everyone is biased when they fear AI," said Sheffi. "We know which jobs are being lost… but what we don't see are the jobs that will be created. This is a new industry, and there will be totally new jobs."

From left: Jackie Strum, Yossi Sheffi, and Karen Donohue.

The presentation concluded with a moderated discussion led by Jackie Strum, corporate vice president of global supply chain operations at Intel, covering how academia will address critical thinking related to AI, the potential to automate business negotiations, and the future of sustainability in business and large corporations.

The SCEC Spring Forum featured presentations and discussions with industry experts on modernizing the supply chain through new technology implementation and measurement. Department of Supply Chain Management Chair and Professor Adegoke Oke kicked off the event by discussing the importance of collaboration between academic institutions and industry professionals.

"We believe we have a symbiotic relationship between faculty, staff, students, and our corporate partners… We get ideas from the industry, and faculty research these ideas and convert them into teachable materials. Our students then learn from these materials, graduate, and contribute to our corporate partners," said Oke.

Cori Masters, senior director research analyst at Gartner, a research and consulting firm, drew on the company's business use case findings to discuss macro trends in supply chain digitization. By researching how other logistics organizations have implemented generative AI, Masters argued that companies can better determine the solutions that will be the most effective and cost-efficient for their needs.

Accenture Americas Logistics Lead Ronny Horvath (MBA '21) and Accenture Logistics and Fulfillment Lead Benjamin Reich presented various supply chain digitization solutions, including digital twins, or virtual warehouse recreations that help employees recognize and troubleshoot bottlenecks and simulate tests. Horvath and Reich said that incorporating generative AI, like digital twins, into supply chains can help with scalability and efficiency while freeing up humans to perform roles that are more satisfying and fulfilling.

SCEC Assistant Director Thomas Maher moderated a discussion on digitizing the supply chain with a range of industry leaders, including Stuart Love, director of global supply chain at DSV; Ryan Anderson, senior director of global supply chain at Lucid Motors; Colonel Peter Abercrombie, 56th mission support group commander at Luke Air Force Base; and Joseph Van Orden, clinical associate professor of supply chain management. Panelists shared the ways their organizations are driving autonomous solutions in manufacturing, how they troubleshoot technology-related challenges, and how universities like ASU are maintaining updated curricula related to emerging technologies.

The discussion concluded with advice for current students, with panelists emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and empathy when working with rapidly advancing technology.

"People use AI. People make decisions, and they're at the center of every high-performing organization," said Love. "The reality is that you have to be human to use these things — you have to care about what's going in, what's coming out, what the agenda is that you're seeking to satisfy, and how to communicate that."

The insights shared throughout the day at the Distinguished Lecture Series and Spring Forum reflected a critical reality: As AI continues to evolve, so must the professionals who drive the supply chain forward. Through discussions on automation, digitization, and industry collaboration, students and experts alike explored the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of logistics.

By bringing together students, faculty, and industry experts to share how generative AI is transforming the supply chain field, the W. P. Carey School of Business is not just preparing tomorrow's leaders — it's helping define the future of logistics. With a nationally recognized supply chain program — ranked No. 2 for undergraduate supply chain and logistics and No. 3 for graduate supply chain by U.S. News & World Report — it is preparing tomorrow's leaders to shape the future of logistics through responsible and innovative solutions.