Unlocking AI’s Full Supply Chain Potential Hinges on Data Connectivity

Rising costs, evolving regulations and increasing service expectations continue to place pressure on shippers and logistics providers to increase efficiency, and many in the supply chain are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to uncover new opportunities for optimization.

The 2026 Annual Third-Party Logistics Study found that AI is being utilized by 67% of shippers and 73% of 3PLs, and 80% of shippers and 81% of 3PLs are using advanced analytics at some level, making it one of the top technology priorities for both groups.

AI technology is only as good as the data it draws on, and it delivers the greatest value when it harnesses the vast volumes of data organizations already generate. The challenge in many operations is that data is fragmented across disconnected systems, making it difficult to gain a full, real-time view.

Most organizations don’t lack data. They lack a clear way to analyze it quickly and put it to work in real time.According to PwC’s 2025 Digital Trends in Operations Survey, integration with existing systems and data issues including availability and quality are two of the major challenges preventing organizations from scaling AI in their operations.

That issue is especially prevalent in the supply chain. Information often lives in multiple places, including transportation and warehouse management systems, carrier portals, spreadsheets and email. When data is in separate systems that don't communicate, getting a complete picture becomes incredibly challenging requiring managers to manual track loads, monitor inventory and assess performance. Plus, by the time a team assembles the relevant information, the window to act may have passed.

The AI Boom Meets Supply Chain Data Reality

Bringing all available data into a single platform helps users get a complete picture and turns data into actionable insights. The biggest differentiator is how quickly teams can see potential delays and act on them, which changes scenarios from being reactive to being proactive.

Penske Logistics recently rolled out Supply Chain Insight to help break down the data silos present in supply chain. The platform pulls information from multiple sources, including non-Penske systems, into a single, unified interface to provide real-time visibility into loads, orders, inventory and performance metrics. Operations teams and their customers can access the same data simultaneously through a single pane of glass.

When data is centralized, decisions can happen faster. Supply chain managers can view the full route a load takes, including all stops for pickups and deliveries, along with what orders are being delivered at each stop. They can also search for an item, view an order’s details, and access performance measurements and trends.

“No two operations run the same, and the way teams use data should reflect that,” said Mike Medeiros, executive vice president of operations at Penske Logistics. “With Supply Chain Insight, our customers can define the metrics that matter most to their business, set performance thresholds and focus on areas that can drive increased efficiency and results.”

For early adopters of Supply Chain Insight, time savings has been among the most immediate benefits. “I like Supply Chain Insight because it tells me a complete story — everything from quantity of loads and orders running and especially the late loads,” said a logistics coordinator at a food manufacturing company. “The information is very helpful to stay ahead of any potential late deliveries for the stores.”

Key Capabilities of Supply Chain Insight

Supply Chain Insight provides more than 85 key performance indicators across the platform to give customers a clear, data‑driven view of their supply chain and help identify opportunities for improvement. Key capabilities include:

• End-to-End Visibility: Supply Chain Insight connects transportation, warehousing and third-party systems in real time. Customers can proactively manage exceptions, eliminate handoff blind spots and minimize delays caused by fragmented systems. The platform’s homepage map displays everything active in a customer’s supply chain at that moment, including in-transit loads and associated orders, and overlays for weather, traffic and other conditions that could affect delivery times. Loads are automatically flagged as delayed or late based on estimated arrival times based on the current position, distance and external conditions. Operations teams can monitor exception status across the full network rather than tracking individual shipments in isolation.
• Ongoing Improvements: Looking at data over time can help users uncover information on how a supply chain is performing over time. Users can access up to 13 months of historical KPI data to evaluate trends, measure the impact of operational changes, and distinguish between isolated disruptions and structural issues. Metrics such as on-time performance, stops completed versus total stops and planned versus actual completion times provide context to help identify root causes and opportunities to improve.
• Scalability for Complex Networks: Supply Chain Insight allows users to configure saved views and filters for specific locations, carriers or date ranges. For shippers operating across multiple distribution centers or working with multiple logistics providers, that flexibility supports network-wide oversight without the need to manually aggregate information.
• AI-Powered Decision Support: An embedded AI assistant enables natural-language queries for loads, orders and performance data. Users can ask direct questions and receive immediate responses without navigating through dashboards or waiting for an analyst. The capability is designed to lower the barrier to insight, extending access to data-driven decision-making across more roles in an organization. Penske has indicated plans to continue developing the AI functionality as part of ongoing platform enhancements.

Building a Data-Ready, AI-Enabled Supply Chain

AI-based solutions will continue to grow and have the potential to become key differentiators. Nearly all shippers (90%) cited technological capabilities as one of the most critical elements when selecting a logistics provider, according to the Annual Third-Party Logistics Study.

What’s more, Penske’s 2025 Transportation Leaders Survey found that 93% of senior business decision-makers in transportation and logistics agree that AI will improve their organization's resiliency, and 91% believe organizations that adopt AI are better positioned for future growth.

Companies that consolidate siloed systems and organize their data now will be better positioned to adopt automation and optimization capabilities as they mature. “Our goal with the launch and development of Supply Chain Insight is to help our customers accelerate supply chain performance,” said Jeff Jackson, president of Penske Logistics. “We plan to continue developing this platform, integrate with other systems and drive further enhancements using AI going forward.”

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