We, Robot: How humans and AI are working together in logistics

Camera, charger, case. Box. Camera, charger, case. Box. Camera, charger, case... and so on, again and again. Of the many jobs done in warehouses, some can be highly repetitive. Take kitting, which involves bundling individual items together into boxes for sale as a single unit. Manufacturers might need to process thousands of them for special offers, for example, ahead of the holidays. Hundreds of hours of labor go into bundling those kits.

But these days, more and more tasks like this are being doled out to indispensable, artificially intelligent, one-armed workers: robots. It’s the beginning of the future of AI in logistics.

To do the kitting job, a robot arm has been ‘taught’ to combine exactly these items – camera, charger, case – in a box, nothing more, nothing less, nothing different. A human keeps an eye on this robot, ensuring it doesn’t run out of supplies and troubleshooting any problems that may crop up. But ultimately, that person, or people, are spared the tedium of assembling thousands of kits.

Robotic assistance or artificial intelligence?

This common shop floor work in logistics and supply chains isn’t the usual role associated with robots. For as long as they’ve existed in popular culture, robots have had a dual image: self-learning avatars whose intelligence is a threat to our society (and our jobs) or mechanical butlers programmed to bring us bonbons in bed.

Today, robots range from massive hydraulic arms that lift entire trucks to microscopic nanorobots that navigate through blood vessels. There are ‘soft robots’ that mimic body parts, bomb-disposal robots that meet danger head on, and R2D2-like security robots that roam public spaces, keeping a 1984-ish eye out for our safety. And they’re in use everywhere, from the military to manufacturing, agriculture to healthcare, and homes to warehouses. As their role in society grows, the world is changing in response.

Delegating the dirty work

The fear that robots will somehow replace humans is misplaced. It’s not about taking peoples' jobs, but about taking over certain activities. In the field of industrial robotics, experts focus on what they call the “Four Ds” – Dirty, Dull, Distant, and Dangerous. These are the types of work where robots and artificial intelligence can best aid humans.

When considering where to use artificial intelligence in logistics and supply chains, “dull” and “distant” are the most relevant. “Dull” refers to the highly repetitive, predictable tasks that occur in a structured environment. Work that requires judgment, flexibility, and differentiation can be done best – and only – by people. Say you need to fill thousands of Advent calendars with chocolates? Robot. But if you want to set up a staging area in the morning, troubleshoot a piece of broken equipment at noon, and prepare for tonight’s arrivals in the afternoon? Human, human, human.

Of brains and brawn – humans collaborating with AI in logistics

But what about tasks that are in the middle – repetitive enough but not fully structured or predictable? This is where ‘collaborative’ robots, or cobots, come into the picture. The burly robot does the grunt work while the brainy human oversees the process. AI-powered cobots optimize dull or distant tasks with the help of people. For example, container-unloading robots can help empty a shipping container at the warehouse dock and transfer the items to a conveyor belt. Or stack loose boxes onto pallets. But human assistance is needed to catch the exceptions: cartons that shifted out of place, items that got wet, and unusual shapes and sizes.

Another example of a cobot would be a robotic arm that helps with the backbreaking job of stacking heavy prosecco crates on pallets for a supermarket customer. The robot does the heavy lifting while an employee manages the process, ensuring that everything is placed correctly on the conveyor belt and dealing with exceptions as they arise.

In express logistics, AI-powered sorting robots are becoming a game-changer, increasing sorting capacity by some 40% or more. For example, we’ve partnered with Dorabot, an AI-powered robotic solution provider, to integrate “DHLBots” into our hubs and gateways. After a successful pilot project in Miami, Florida (USA), we’re equipping facilities in two Asia Pacific countries with DHLBots. Capable of sorting over 1,000 small parcels per hour with 99% accuracy, DHLBots reduce missorting, removing the need for secondary sorting. This technology comes at a critical time, given the consistent growth in shipment volume across the region. In 2020, DHL Express recorded a 17.3% year-on-year increase in volume during the peak months of November and December.

Cobots like these give us a glimpse of the future of human intelligence working alongside artificial intelligence in logistics and supply chains.

The future of logistics belongs to us both

The logistics industry finds itself in a disruptive time – and we must stay ahead of the curve. Losing talent will come at a high cost, which means it’s vital to retrain people whose tasks are outsourced to robots to fill other jobs in logistics – like truck driving, which is facing a critical shortage worldwide. Upskilling employees to oversee robots is also crucial. For example, at our warehouses, we’re training workers to be autonomous forklift operators who supervise these robots, ensuring they work efficiently and effectively alongside humans.

The future, it seems, belongs to the ‘bots’ – and to the people who get to work alongside them. AI in logistics is really about human brains meeting robot brawn, producing excellent results: The latest industrial revolution may be a quiet one, but it’s a revolution, nonetheless.