Technology group, CargoTech, issued a lengthy press release this week, in which it stated that “The air cargo industry is still taxiing onto the runway of AI opportunities”. Yet AI offers a great deal of potential and CargoTech’s members have and are integrating this into their products and are there to support the air cargo industry in its AI adoption. Cédric Millet, CargoTech’s President, stated: “On a scale of 1-10, I’d say the air cargo industry is currently at 3 when it comes to adopting AI-assisted decision-making.” The industry primarily uses AI in customer service and engagement functions, and is still in the process of digitizing its operations and accumulating data.
AI-driven tools to streamline decision-making already make up CargoTech’s product portfolio. The release states examples such as CargoAi’s CargoCOPILOT, which allows users to retrieve dynamic rates directly from their inbox. Another application is Rotate’s ‘Fair Share Analysis’, which uses AI to optimize airlines’ network and Origin-Destination sales mix. Wiremind Cargo emphasizes that AI is more than just ChatGPT, and deploys machine learning models for capacity and revenue management. Michael Teoh, Head of Strategy at CargoTech, cautions against viewing AI as a solver rather than an enabler, stating that: “AI should be viewed as an enabler rather than an end goal.”
The cargo charter niche faces challenges in data availability and quality. Aerios’ Carrier App is working to digitize analog data, paving the way for AI implementation. Here, AI is expected to benefit carriers in long-term planning and charter operation quotation processes.
Millet addresses misconceptions about AI replacing jobs, saying: “At CargoTech, we believe that roles will not be replaced, but specific tasks within them may change.” He suggests that AI will reshape roles, streamline processes, and potentially attract younger generations to the industry.
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