MIT Supply Chain Frontiers

Freight companies face increasing pressure to adopt AI, but which technology is actually working on the road? This episode examines critical findings from ground-level freight operations, revealing why Excel remains the dominant tool despite digital transformation efforts, and why data quality, not AI sophistication, remains the biggest bottleneck constraining freight efficiency. Joining tech journalist Jason Del Rey are Dr. Angi Acocella, Research Scientist in the FreightLab at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, and David Gal, Vice President of Product and Engineering for Connected Equipment at Samsara, on a panel held at Samsara Beyond 2026 in Las Vegas.

The conversation explores practical solutions shaping the freight industry today, including Bluetooth-enabled tracking labels for high-value shipments and how AI-powered geofencing is improving driver safety without replacing human oversight. From dynamic pricing mechanisms to how forward-thinking carriers are using AI agents to augment driver performance, this episode reveals what freight leaders should actually be investing in and where to be cautious.

Warehouse automation is often evaluated through an operational lens in terms of productivity gains, labor efficiency, and accuracy improvements. Yet the environmental impact of technologies like drone-based inventory systems remains poorly understood. In this episode, we explore how a capstone project conducted with Verity, a warehouse automation company, and graduate students in the MIT Supply Chain Management (SCM) program quantified the real sustainability benefits of replacing manual forklift-based inventory counting with drones.

Joining the discussion are Tommaso Portaluri, Sustainability Lead at Verity; Camilo Mora, Postdoctoral Associate at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL); and Elisa Ruiz, an MIT SCM alum who worked on the project. Together, they reveal a surprising finding: inventory write-offs and waste reduction account for nearly 40% of post-implementation emissions savings, far outweighing energy savings alone. Through their analysis, they demonstrate how information quality and operational efficiency are intertwined levers for decarbonization, and why inventory management deserves a place at the center of warehouse sustainability strategies. You can read the full findings of the capstone project here and learn more about MIT SCM capstone projects here.

AI is “not optional anymore” in large-scale warehouses and omnichannel operations, as it’s becoming foundational to how they function at scale. In this episode, we explore key findings from the State of AI in Warehousing Report and the 2026 State of Omnichannel Supply Chain Report, examining how companies are moving beyond pilots to real-world deployment. From inventory optimization and automated picking to real-time decision-making, AI is transforming operations as pressure grows for faster, more precise, and more flexible fulfillment.

Joining the discussion are Dr. Matthias Winkenbach, Director of the MIT Intelligent Logistics Systems Lab, Dr. Eva Ponce, Director of the MIT Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab, and Alejandro Gonzalez, Software Business Unit Director at Mecalux. They break down what’s driving widespread AI adoption, where companies are seeing the fastest return on investment, and how omnichannel growth is increasing complexity across supply chains. The conversation also explores the rise of autonomous mobile robots, shifting workforce roles, and what’s next, from generative AI to agentic systems capable of real-time decision-making.

As climate-related disruptions and regulatory pressures intensify, corporate sustainability is a core strategic necessity for all operations of global firms. In this episode, we discuss how companies are navigating the complex transition toward decarbonization while upholding efficiency and affordability.

Joining the discussion are Dr. Sreedevi Rajagopalan and Tori Arnold from the MIT Sustainable Supply Chain Lab, alongside Rachel Schwalbach, Vice President of ESG at C.H. Robinson, and Brittany Brama, Sustainability Director at C.H. Robinson. From the complexities of Scope 3 data collection to the practical implementation of alternative fuels and "book and claim" models, they examine how their collaboration between academia and industry is turning sustainability research into measurable impact.

Artificial Intelligence is frequently hailed as a transformative force for global supply chains, yet the gap between technological promise and operational reality remains a central challenge for industry leaders. In this episode, host Dr. Matthias Winkenbach, Director of Research at MIT CTL, leads a nuanced discussion on the transition from AI hype to the implementation of functional "decision technology."

Joining the discussion are three researchers from MIT CTL who bring diverse perspectives to the AI landscape. Willem Guter of the MIT Intelligent Logistics Systems Lab unpacks the intersection of machine learning and traditional optimization in warehouse robotics, while Dr. Elenna Dugundji, director of the MIT Deep Knowledge for Supply Chain and Logistics Lab, explains the evolution of demand forecasting and the importance of "deep knowledge" in predictive modeling. Dr. Bryan Reimer, founder of the MIT AgeLab’s Advanced Vehicle Technology Consortium, rounds out the discussion by addressing the critical human factor in autonomous systems. Together, they examine the future of AI in sourcing and procurement, the complexities of human-AI interaction, and the necessity of building decision-support tools that are grounded in real-world application rather than speculative promise.