Sano Naoto (佐野 直人) of 三井倉庫ホールディングス discusses the role AI plays in logistics operations and how the role of people is changing. He gives specific examples, including the transport of goods by automated guided vehicles in warehouses, AI-based inspections and invoice reconciliation, and outlines situations in which human judgment will be required going forward.
At warehouse sites, the use of AI is growing for tasks such as transporting goods with automated guided vehicles and inspecting outgoing and incoming shipments. At the same time, it is explained that in irregular situations, such as changes to receiving or shipping operations, people should make the decisions and instruct the AI.
The division of responsibilities between AI and people is also advancing in back-office operations. AI should handle tasks such as invoice and payment reconciliation, while people should take on the role of providing coverage guided by ethical judgment.
The company has introduced a system that matches inspection results against master data, and the accuracy of AI-based inspections is said to exceed 98%. The stated goal is for people to check the very small number of errors appropriately.
Sano (佐野氏), as the executive responsible for information systems at 三井倉庫ホールディングス, oversees IT, DX and security across the group. In the broadcast episode, he discusses the future of logistics brought about by AI and digital technology, and the role of people.