The Impact of AI on Freight Procurement: Making AI Work for Your Business | Episode 58

Banyan Technology’s Tire Tracks® podcast continues its mini-series, The Impact of AI on Freight Procurement, with Jason Roberts, SVP of Digital Enablement at MODE Global, exploring the future of AI in logistics and how to make it work for your business.

Roberts breaks down how Mode is building AI into day-to-day operations to streamline freight workflows, clean up data, and give teams more time for the high-value work that drives revenue. He also shares insights on what’s working, what’s not, and why companies that move fast and deploy AI thoughtfully will come out ahead.

“AI isn’t here to take jobs,” Roberts said. “It’s here to help people do their jobs better. But if you’re not using it, you’ll fall behind those who are.”

From predictive pricing tools to intelligent automation and AI-powered co-pilots, Roberts explains how MODE is creating systems that scale and adapt with the market.

He also offers a candid look at what logistics companies need to consider before jumping into AI, including ROI expectations, integration challenges, and how to avoid chasing shiny objects that don’t deliver.

Making AI Work for Your Business Episode Key Points

• Logistics and brokerages as the “red-headed stepchild” of technology: an obstacle to overcome.
• Jason’s take on AI in logistics and why true, full automation isn’t the goal.
• AI as a bigger disruption to our normal pattern and why its management might be the key.
• Jason shares a real-life example of managing the use of AI in a work-related task.
• Jason breaks down how AI adds a layer of value.
• Why a healthy level of skepticism is crucial.
• Why the way you deploy tech matters.
• The good news of AI in the logistics industry.
• Where AI and logistics go from here on.

“As an industry, we are well-known to adopt last when it comes to technology.” — Jason Roberts [0:05:41]

“Go to any brokerage and ask them how they price their freight or how they enter a load in their system, and you will get plenty of different answers.” — Jason Roberts [0:07:08]

“You have to have a single source of truth to build anything.” — Jason Roberts [0:07:40]

“My take on [AI] is that AI won’t replace people in freight, but people using AI absolutely will replace those who don’t.” — Jason Roberts [0:09:20]