Posted on: February 19, 2026 / Last updated: February 19, 2026
AI Is Moving Too Fast — Should Shippers Wait? A 2026 Logistics Strategy Perspective
Based on the February 12, 2026 article from Journal of Commerce, this analysis explores the rapid pace of AI development and why a strategy of “strategic patience” may be the smartest move for shippers.
CONTENTS
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Should Shippers Invest in AI Now?
At the recent supply chain technology conference “Manifest” in Las Vegas, AI was once again the central theme.
As companies worldwide evaluate AI’s real value, shippers and logistics service providers (LSPs) face a difficult decision: fully commit to AI immediately, or take a step back and observe.
The JOC article presents a compelling argument:
Shippers may benefit from being patient when it comes to bleeding-edge AI adoption.
Reason 1: Extremely Short Development Cycles
The first reason is the dramatically shortened development cycle.
Competition among companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic has accelerated coding and software innovation at an unprecedented pace.
What is considered cutting-edge today may become outdated within months.
Large investments made today could be overtaken by cheaper and more advanced solutions tomorrow, creating a classic leapfrog effect.
Key Points
• AI evolves in months, not years
• High investment carries fast obsolescence risk
• Late adopters may gain advantage
Reason 2: Different Roles of Shippers and LSPs
For logistics providers, AI investment directly improves operational efficiency and cost performance.
It is tied closely to competitiveness and margin improvement.
However, shippers must allocate capital across product development, marketing, and many other priorities.
AI-driven logistics optimization is important, but it is not their only strategic focus.
Reason 3: Strategic Patience
The article suggests a balanced mindset: keep your information antenna high, but keep your wallet tight.
In a rapidly evolving environment, there is no need for shippers to take on the risks of bleeding-edge implementation.
Instead, allowing LSPs to experiment, implement, and absorb risk may be a more rational approach.
- Let logistics providers test and implement AI
- Outsource risk while capturing benefits
- Avoid premature large-scale system overhauls
Future Outlook
AI agent implementation will likely become a key differentiator among logistics providers.
Forwarders capable of deploying autonomous AI agents to manage complex trade operations will stand out.
For shippers, the critical question will shift from “Which system should we build?” to
“Which AI-enabled logistics partner should we choose?”
Shippers should continue gathering information and running small pilot programs.
However, large-scale AI-based core system replacement may still be premature in 2026.
Strategic patience may not be hesitation — it may be competitive intelligence.
