Imagine sending a freight inquiry email and receiving a quote, order confirmation, pickup scheduling, and real-time shipment tracking within seconds—without human intervention. This isn't science fiction but the reality being implemented by C.H. Robinson (CHR), a global leader in third-party logistics services, through its proprietary generative AI technology.
The company recently announced significant advancements in applying artificial intelligence to automate multiple steps of the freight lifecycle. Its AI system can now process incoming emails to automatically generate quotes, accept loads, schedule pickups and deliveries, and monitor shipments in transit. CHR reports handling over 10,000 routine transactions daily through this automation—tasks that previously required manual email processing.
"In May, we announced using our new technology to process emailed price requests," said Arun Rajan, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at C.H. Robinson. "Within months, we developed new models to automate additional transportation steps at scale. This represents a major efficiency breakthrough for global supply chains."
Comprehensive Automation Across Freight Processes
C.H. Robinson's AI implementation delivers measurable results across key logistics operations:
- Email Quoting: Processes 2,600 daily quotes with 32-second average response time, covering both full truckload (TL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments
- Order Processing: Converts 5,500 daily emails into freight orders within 90 seconds
- Appointment Scheduling: Completes 3,000+ daily appointments across 26,000 locations in 60 seconds, even for email requests outside CHR's automated system
- Shipment Visibility: Automatically resolves carrier status update issues without human intervention
The Efficiency Imperative Driving Innovation
Megan Orth, Director of Digital Connectivity at CHR, explained the rationale behind the AI initiative: "Global supply chain complexity keeps increasing. Our customers rely on us to solve their toughest challenges while our new operating model helps us become faster, leaner and more focused. We continuously seek opportunities to automate repetitive tasks so employees can focus on strategic work."
"Generative AI enables breakthroughs in automating transactions that resisted automation for decades," Orth added. "Our technology now reliably executes these tasks throughout the entire freight lifecycle."
Competitive Advantages Through AI
The AI implementation delivers three key benefits for shippers:
- Faster service response times
- Accelerated speed-to-market
- More competitive pricing through operational efficiencies
Orth emphasized the impact of speed: "Our research shows shippers delaying spot market entry may pay 23-35% more due to basic supply-demand dynamics. Retailers can't sell products not yet on shelves. Automakers can't build cars without all parts. Speed directly affects supply chain liquidity."
Unique Capabilities Fueling AI Success
C.H. Robinson's AI advantage stems from three distinctive assets:
- The industry's largest proprietary dataset
- Deep domain expertise from logistics professionals
- Customization capabilities for individual client needs
"Our AI models incorporate decades of logistics knowledge, real-time market intelligence, and specific client requirements," Orth explained. "Client teams review AI performance and provide feedback until confident in the model's reliability. The system knows when to escalate unique situations for human input."
This approach creates a continuously learning system that combines AI with human expertise, data assets, and client relationships—transforming not just CHR's operations but potentially the entire logistics industry.