Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to conference discussions or pilot initiatives. Across the air cargo sector, the conversation has clearly evolved — from whether digitalisation is necessary to how quickly operational inefficiencies can be eliminated without losing control.
In an environment marked by fluctuating volumes, tightening margins and persistent geopolitical uncertainty, automation is no longer viewed as a technological luxury. It is becoming core infrastructure.
For Matt Petot, Founder and CEO of CargoAi, 2026 represents a decisive shift. The industry is moving beyond theoretical debates around AI and focusing instead on where it delivers tangible operational value — while acknowledging that expectations still often exceed current capabilities.
From reactive operations to predictive execution
According to Petot, the most significant transformation ahead will not be physical automation on airport ramps, but rather the acceleration and anticipation embedded in digital workflows.
Faster booking decisions, earlier disruption detection, smarter routing and significantly reduced manual coordination are set to redefine day-to-day operations. In practical terms, this translates into fewer emails, fewer duplicated checks and less reactive firefighting when shipments go off schedule.
At the core of this shift lies predictive intelligence. AI-driven tools are expected to help teams anticipate capacity constraints and identify potential delays before they escalate into operational disruptions. This enables pre-emptive adjustments in routing and allocation, reducing both the frequency and impact of unexpected events.
However, Petot is clear about one fundamental limitation: human expertise remains indispensable.
Air cargo continues to operate within a highly regulated, exception-driven and commercially nuanced environment. While AI can handle repetitive tasks and generate insights, it cannot replace experienced professionals managing compliance, customer expectations and irregular operations.
Simplification over digital overload
If 2025 was defined by experimentation, Petot believes 2026 must be the year of simplification.
The challenge facing the industry is not a lack of tools — but an overabundance of disconnected systems. Airlines, freight forwarders and GSAs continue to operate across fragmented booking platforms, tracking tools and reporting systems.
“The priority is not adding more tools, but connecting what already exists,” Petot argues.
The future lies in unified platforms capable of integrating booking, tracking, execution and payments through shared data environments and APIs. Rather than layering new applications onto legacy systems, resilience will come from reducing fragmentation and standardising workflows.
This fragmentation is not only inefficient — it also creates governance risks as regulatory oversight intensifies across borders. In contrast, connected data ecosystems provide both speed and traceability.
Where AI delivers real value today
Despite the hype surrounding artificial intelligence, Petot remains pragmatic about its current impact.
AI is already delivering measurable value in areas such as booking assistance, rate comparison, predictive tracking and workload reduction. Operational teams are benefiting directly through faster response times and reduced manual effort.
However, more advanced applications — including fully autonomous pricing optimisation or complete automation of irregular operations — remain, for now, more theoretical than practical.
The primary constraint is not technological ambition, but data quality and trust. AI systems rely on consistent, standardised inputs. Where data governance is weak, automation becomes unreliable.
This highlights a deeper issue within digital transformation: technology itself is rarely the bottleneck. Instead, success depends on data ownership, validation at the source and organisational confidence in AI-driven recommendations.
For Petot, treating data as a core operational asset — rather than a by-product — is essential. Trust in AI will not come from perfect datasets, but from consistent and transparent outputs.
Scaling operations without scaling headcount
As logistics players face increasing volumes and operational complexity, automation is becoming a critical lever for growth.
Digital workflows enable companies to handle higher shipment volumes without proportional increases in staffing, while maintaining both speed and service quality.
This shift is redefining competitiveness. Success is no longer purely a matter of scale, but of orchestration — the ability to coordinate booking, tracking, documentation and payments within a unified ecosystem.
Companies that achieve this integration gain a structural advantage over those still reliant on manual coordination.
From point solutions to integrated ecosystems
CargoAi’s position across airlines, forwarders and digital platforms provides a broad view of how behaviour is evolving across the industry.
In 2025, Petot observed a clear shift from experimentation toward execution-focused innovation. Companies are increasingly prioritising solutions that deliver immediate operational impact, as tolerance for abstract digital strategies declines.
Looking ahead, 2026 is likely to see the emergence of unified platforms and AI-driven agents capable of orchestrating entire shipment workflows — rather than addressing isolated tasks.
The implication is clear: while point solutions may deliver incremental improvements, true efficiency gains require end-to-end integration.
Building resilience in an uncertain world
Geopolitical instability and regulatory complexity are unlikely to ease in the near term. In this context, AI-powered visibility and analytics are becoming essential tools for risk management.
By analysing performance trends, capacity shifts and execution data across networks, organisations can detect emerging risks earlier and respond more effectively.
For Petot, resilience is built on three pillars: visibility, anticipation and speed of response — all areas where data-driven systems provide a clear advantage.
However, he also cautions that technology alone is not enough. Digital investments must be aligned with real operational challenges, rather than driven by trends or buzzwords.
