AI has quickly become an integral part of transportation and logistics management. According to the Descartes European Transport Management Benchmark Study, 97 percent of European shippers and logistics providers report that they use AI to optimize their transportation operations.
The study shows that AI is primarily used to automate processes and strengthen the basis for decision-making. The most common use of AI is to automate and structure data, according to 41 percent of respondents. At the same time, 29 percent use AI for freight forecasting. One in three respondents states that the technology is used to procure more accurate freight capacity (32 percent) and for route and load optimization (37 percent).
Leading companies are using AI more strategically
Although AI is widely adopted, financially strong companies are clearly leading the way. Among the most prosperous companies, 61 percent report using AI to automate and organize data, while 52 percent use the technology for freight forecasting. At the same time, market leaders stand out by applying AI to a greater extent in more strategic contexts such as dynamic price optimization and dock planning, where 39 percent report using AI solutions.
Shippers Are Ahead of Logistics Providers
The study shows that shippers have generally made more progress than logistics service providers (LSPs) in terms of technological development. For example, 45 percent of shippers use AI to automate data entry, compared with 36 percent of LSPs. A similar difference is evident in route and load optimization, where 42 percent of shippers report using AI, while the corresponding figure among LSPs is 31 percent.
Generative AI: A Growing Strategic Priority
In addition to the increased use of AI in operational processes, a growing number of organizations are highlighting generative AI as a strategic priority. One-quarter of respondents (25 percent) state that the adoption of generative AI tools is crucial for improving operations and enhancing customer service.
“The widespread use of AI shows that the logistics industry has matured. The question is no longer whether to use AI, but rather how deeply it is integrated into decision-making and operational processes,” says Elmer Spruijt, VP of Transport Management EMEA at Descartes.
The study was conducted in 2025 and surveyed 300 senior decision-makers in logistics-intensive businesses, including both shippers and logistics service providers (LSPs) in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Descartes provides cloud-based logistics solutions for responsive, secure, and sustainable supply chains. The Global Logistics Network (GLN) platform connects logistics-intensive businesses in a network where technology, data, and AI are used to plan, track, and optimize shipments, manage customs, and ensure regulatory compliance worldwide
