Balancing AI Automation with Human Intuition in Shipping

May 14, 2026

Speaker/s

Ariane Herrera

Senior Associate Editor, Special Projects, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Jaison Augustine

Business Unit Head for Shipping & Logistics Vertical, WNS, part of Capgemini

Thomas Bagge

Chief Executive Officer, Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA)

Tom Schmitt

Chief Executive Officer, Radial (becoming Paxon)

Key Points

Inside the Conversation

As AI reshapes global shipping and logistics, organizations must strike the right balance between automation and human expertise. In this insightful discussion, leaders explored how AI is transforming global shipping and logistics operations, enhancing decision-making and driving efficiency—while highlighting the critical role of human judgment in managing complexity, risk and exceptions.

Core Learnings

The panel reflected on AI's progress to date — across the industry, deployments are uneven. Some operations are seeing real value, but most are still in pilot or early production stages rather than running AI at full scale.
The discussion surfaced a useful paradox — AI adoption has risen sharply, and yet so has the volume, complexity, and headcount of global trade. Automation is expanding the work, not eliminating it.
A recurring theme — humans should not become the cleanup crew for AI's mistakes. They belong where judgment, trust, and accountability matter most.
The panel highlighted a structural challenge — technology is global, but regulation is not. That gap keeps humans firmly in the loop on customs, compliance, and cross-border safety decisions.
Several panelists pointed to the foundations — the most successful AI deployments start with clean processes and shared definitions, not the model itself. Standards matter more than sophistication.
On the workforce question — the role of people in logistics is changing shape rather than shrinking, but the value only accrues to operators who upskill honestly and lead the transition with their teams.
A closing reflection from the panel — the organizations that win with AI are likely to be those who know where humans still belong, not those who deploy the most automation.

The WNS Lens

As shipping operations grow in scale and complexity, WNS Malkom brings together AI, automation, and shipping expertise to help organizations streamline workflows, enhance visibility, and make more informed decisions.