If there was one sector that exploded during the pandemic, it was that of... deliveryYes, locked down in isolation at home, people turned to online shopping and app-based deliveries to consume and feed themselves. Not surprisingly, e-commerce conglomerates (such as Amazon and Shopee) and food delivery apps (iFood and Uber Eats) grew exponentially. After the pandemic and the initial frenzy, it's noticeable that... The trend is here to stay. Consumers seem to have strongly embraced this consumption pattern, and deliveries continue to rise.
But the fact is that even on the innovation curve, Deliveries follow a pattern common to several other sectors.: They have benefited enormously from advances in automation and Artificial Intelligence.. The iFood, for example, claims to have achieved a cost savings of 40% in its operations after reviewing procedures and automating processes strategically. And it's not alone: there's no shortage of others. Examples and applications of AI in Delivery.And we're here to prove it. Follow the main trends below.
Drones in Deliveries
According to research by The Wall Street Journalone of The most expensive part of deliveries is precisely the journey between the warehouse and the customer's home.Physical and natural obstacles, as well as the complexity of factors involved in the task (especially in countries with continental proportions, such as Brazil, China, the USA, Russia, and Australia) impose challenges in delivery that often increase costs the process.
Companies have been looking to robots – especially drones – for a solution! Yes! This is not science fiction. Companies like Amazon and Walmart have already adopted drone delivery. (initially for only a few regions).
It is important to highlight that the idea It's not just about delivering the package. right up to the customer's door, but also allow the devices themselves to decide the best way to do it.AI helps, for example, to decide whether it's safer to leave a package at the door, with a neighbor, or even try to deliver it another day.
Predictive Analytics for Parking Lots
Drones and robots can eliminate the need for human intervention in deliveries – a use that is still largely restricted to large companies and urban centers in developed countries.
More applicable in the short and medium term, the Using Artificial Intelligence to collaborate with delivery drivers It is noteworthy. For example, Through predictive analytics, AI can pinpoint the best times for deliveries. Based on parking availability and location information.
According to research by Urban Freight Lab, 28% of delivery drivers' time is spent looking for parking spaces and/or stopping points.AI can significantly reduce this time – less time spent, faster delivery, more deliveries, lower delivery costs. Everyone wins!
Route Optimization
The same can be applied to selection, research and definition of routesFor example, similar to major mobility apps (like Waze), Integrated AI can optimize routes, ensuring shorter and more accurate journeys..
A project at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) aims to help delivery drivers choose better routes, not only based on driving time, but also parking, delivery volume, and safety.
Security Management
And speaking of security, here's a The key point is that AI is making a difference..
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute – a delivery company – uses technology of Monitoring facial expressions to alert delivery drivers about risky behaviors.such as falling asleep at the wheel. With such monitoring, it is possible to drastically reduce traffic accidents that financially impact the business (less damage to goods and vehicles, as well as work accidents and medical leave).
Another area of security where AI excels relates to routes and their associated risks.: assaults, robberies and loss of merchandise. Predictive analytics and proactive route planning They help to build (and follow) a "safe" route map.
It is estimated that high cargo insurance costs for deliveries in high-risk areas significantly increase the price of products. Safer routes, in theory, reduce the prices of goods, making them more affordable and competitive.
Personalized Communication
We also need to highlight The use of AI in customer service and communication flows.Automation in intelligent and strategic workflow not only increases the availability of reception services (in the case of delivery), but also It offers a multitude of features and applications.Transactional messages for sending, payment and receipt, route tracking and monitoring, invoicing, among others.
More than that, Artificial intelligence can identify and compile consumption patterns. – Useful information that can be proactively used through personalized message blasts; as well as being utilized in the development, optimization, and correction of processes, products, and services.
There's more to come.
Therefore, anyone who thinks we've reached the pinnacle of technology by ordering a meal through an app or being able to do grocery shopping with home delivery is mistaken. In fact, this is just the beginning. Advances in automation and Artificial Intelligence promise even greater convenience, personalization, and speed in deliveries.We'll have to wait and see!
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