AI-equipped robots help logistics industry to fight labour shortages

The global logistics industry, integral to international trade and representing approximately 10% of the world’s GDP, is witnessing a surge in demand.

This surge has propelled companies to significantly invest in robotics and automation, with sales of professional service robots for goods or cargo transportation seeing a 44% increase from 2021 to 2022. However, the industry faces a major challenge with severe labour shortages threatening its future growth. The introduction of AI-enabled robots is emerging as a solution to these issues, as reported by The International Federation of Robotics.

Marina Bill, President of the International Federation of Robotics, highlights the critical situation: “Shortage of truck drivers, warehousing staff or dockworkers is a critical pressure on supply chain management worldwide. By combining automation hardware with smart software, robot manufacturers deliver to the specific needs of the warehouse and logistics industry. AI-equipped robots offer tremendous new opportunities for this sector.”

The deployment of AI in robotics primarily aims to enhance the management of variability and unpredictability encountered in logistics, from cross-border shipping to last-mile delivery. These challenges include the constant flux of products, orders, and stock. AI enables robots to learn from experience rather than being solely dependent on programming. Consequently, these robots are adapting to efficiently handle diverse tasks, such as picking and packing different objects at high speed in warehouses, autonomously navigating factories, and simplifying maintenance tasks significantly.

The global logistics sector also confronts a dire shortage of three million truck drivers. The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has identified this gap, which is predicted to worsen by 2028 due to demographic shifts. Each region faces unique challenges; for instance, Japan is pushed towards automation due to new worktime regulations, the US grapples with a scarcity of skilled professionals in e-commerce warehouses, and Germany seeks to improve workplace conditions to retain older workers in physically demanding roles.

Marina Bill further elaborates on the role of robotics in the logistics sector: “Robotics technology is a fit for various tasks within the logistics industry. While service robots work alongside human personnel creating more efficient workplaces, industrial robots help to automate dirty, dull, and dangerous tasks behind fences. The combined power of a wide range of applications in robotics and automation will play a crucial role in addressing workforce gaps and allow future growth in this key industry.”

The upcoming 2024 LogiMAT fair in Stuttgart, Germany, scheduled for 19-21th March, will see IFR members showcasing a wide array of logistics solutions. The annual World Robotics – Service Robots report by the IFR Statistical Department offers a comprehensive view of the global service robotics market, detailing professional and consumer service robot sales, industry structure, and insights into new developments and challenges within the service robotics application domains.

The 2024 edition of the report will specifically focus on areas such as outdoor transportation without public traffic, mobile guidance, and social interaction robots, featuring interviews with leading suppliers and in-depth market analysis, in collaboration with Fraunhofer IPA, Stuttgart’s robotics experts.