Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving beyond being a promise and becoming an indispensable tool in logistics . In an environment where speed, accuracy, and operational visibility make all the difference, freight forwarders face the challenge of accelerating their digital transformation or risking their competitiveness.
During the webinar “The shift of technology and AI in the operation of the freight agent in Mexico” , organized by the Mexican Association of Freight Agents (Amacarga) , specialists agreed that artificial intelligence and digitalization no longer represent a competitive advantage, but a requirement to maintain competitiveness in an expanding logistics market.
Adriel Mateos, founder and CEO of AMR Consulting , highlighted that the global freight market maintains favorable prospects, with estimated growth of approximately 4.8% between 2025 and 2030 , driven by the strengthening of international trade and Mexico’s strategic position. However, he cautioned that this scenario also demands a faster pace of technological transformation for companies.
One of the key findings presented was that the adoption of artificial intelligence and advanced automation in the Mexican logistics sector hovers around 45%, a percentage that still lags behind regions such as the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific . For the panelists, this gap represents both an opportunity and an urgent call to accelerate the digitalization of freight forwarders.
From digitizing documents to automating decisions
During the session, César Hernández, VP Operations Success at Tsol , explained that for years the industry has focused its efforts on digitizing processes through ERP, TMS and WMS systems ; however, he clarified that AI represents a new level of evolution.
“The real transformation happens when the entire operation is connected and information flows in real time,” he stressed.
He added that AI allows for anticipating delays, automating notifications, analyzing risks, and improving decision-making, provided that organizations feed these tools with reliable and up-to-date information.
He also warned that using technological systems does not mean that a company is fully digitized , since many organizations continue to rely on spreadsheets to generate reports and track their indicators.
From an operational perspective, Griselda Padilla Ruiz, founder and CEO of Trade the World, explained that automation directly impacts the profitability of freight forwarders.
He indicated that digitizing processes reduces data entry errors, speeds up quotes, facilitates document control, and improves the tracking of each shipment, which translates into lower costs for delays, storage, and reprocessing.
Furthermore, he pointed out that having systematized processes allows for a faster response to customers and the provision of strategic information , such as average transit times or historical operations, strengthening the user experience and the commercial capacity of companies.
The executive shared that, according to World Bank data , inefficiencies in administrative processes can increase dispatch times by up to 15%, while various studies show that freight forwarders spend between 30% and 40% of their workday on documentary tasks that could be automated.
Technological investment must be comprehensive
Another key message of the webinar was that investing in technology goes far beyond acquiring software or incorporating artificial intelligence tools.
César Hernández estimated that companies typically allocate between 3% and 7% of their annual revenue to technological development , resources that must include operating systems, process automation, integrations with clients and suppliers, digital infrastructure and cybersecurity.
He specified that AI should be understood as a complementary tool that enhances the experience of the staff , but that it requires a solid technological strategy to generate results.
Participants also discussed the risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence platforms.
Hernández emphasized that, as digitization increases, information becomes one of the most valuable assets for organizations, and therefore recommended strengthening security protocols, access controls, protection infrastructure, and data management policies.
In that regard, he stated that digital transformation must advance hand in hand with cybersecurity strategies that allow for the protection of both internal operations and the information of clients and business partners.
Experts agreed that logistics is at a turning point .
With a growing market and increasingly digitized competition, they pointed out that the challenge for Mexican freight forwarders is not deciding whether to adopt artificial intelligence, but how quickly they will be able to integrate it into their operations to remain competitive.
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