How Is Artificial Intelligence Changing Warehouse Operations?

Artificial intelligence and advanced robotics are transforming warehouse operations. Amazon is leading the AI race in warehouse operations. The global retailer is fine-tuning its AI system to speed up operations, bring down costs, and boost productivity.

Thanks to the pandemic backlog of pending orders and the supply chain disruptions wrought by the outbreak, the modern warehouse environment is becoming increasingly complex. Even before before covid struck, warehouse workflow complexity necessitated high-tech solutions to expedite processes.

Artificial intelligence or AI is no longer just another high-tech novelty or science fiction. Warehouses and logistics facilities need AI-controlled robots and processes to reduce errors, bump productivity and speed up order fulfillment.

The general public tends to think that warehouse AI is for retail giants like Amazon. Although big corporations have been pioneers and early adopters of AI, the truth is that every business will have to deploy AI and machine intelligence to survive and thrive.

Warehouses and logistics facilities of all sizes must now incorporate AI into their systems to bring their efficiency up to par so that they can compete in the increasingly tough business climate. Only then can they hope to stand a chance against Amazon, Alibaba, AliExpress, and other logistics companies that have already taken the lead by developing and implementing AI earlier than SMEs.

Here is how AI can improve warehouse operations.

Data Processing and Handling with Less Errors
Each day, warehouses must process a torrent of data to fulfill orders, keep inventory, and manage it efficiently. Humans are prone to making errors, especially when they have to do more work in less time. But machines are good at keeping errors to a minimum. This means fewer mistakes with orders and thus a greater customer satisfaction rate.

Better Productivity
Humans need to take breaks, vacations, and leaves. Plus, they are limited by their relatively low walking speed and work rate. Machines, on the other hand, are much faster than humans at just about everything. Also, they don’t need to take breaks, nor do they need to be paid. Hence, they are highly cost-effective. AI-controlled bots can also help to address labor shortages which are now endemic in the US economy.

Managerial Assistance and Replacement
Intelligent AI-powered software can now process and analyze information on spreadsheets to expedite operational planning. Thus, they can fulfill many tasks for which warehouse managers were absolutely imperative at one time. AI powered software will reduce the burden on warehouse managers and may even replace some of them in the near future.

Better Workplace Safety
Warehouse accidents are a major cause of concern. AI solutions may monitor work patterns, movement, congestion, and other factors to predict and pinpoint areas where accidents are likely to happen. Using such analysis, managers and executives can remediate the warehouse layout to reduce accidents and thus avoid expensive litigation.

Lower Costs
AI-powered robots can work for hours at a stretch without fatigue, don’t take salaries, neither do they fall sick. They will likely replace a certain percentage of workers and managers and thus bring down associated costs.

Bottom Line
Automated vehicles will not need human drivers since they can use AI-powered computer vision to travel without colliding. AI-controlled bots can handle the packing, picking, carrying inventory, and fulfilling orders faster than human workers.

Hence, artificial intelligence is transforming the supply chain landscape. It is no longer the domain of big players like Amazon and Alibaba. SMEs will soon adopt AI to keep up with the big corporations that have grabbed a tremendous market share.

MIDCOM has been helping warehousing companies improve efficiency since 1982. Talk to a Specialist today about time saving mobile printer workstations by calling (800) 643-2664.