Many logistics leaders are heading into 2026 with big expectations for Agentic AI, but a large share are still not ready to put it to work.
Nearly half of logistics organizations (42%) say they are not exploring Agentic AI at all and continue to rely on more traditional AI and machine learning tools, according to a new ORTEC survey. That’s notable as more logistics teams look for ways to automate decisions and planning.
The survey, conducted in November 2025, included responses from more than 2,000 transportation, logistics, and supply chain executives across North America. By the end of 2025, only a small number of companies had active Agentic AI pilots or live deployments. Looking ahead, 23% of respondents said they plan to pilot Agentic AI within the next 12 months, setting up 2026 as a test year for the technology.
Executives expect the biggest gains to come from lower fuel and mileage costs, cited by 30% of respondents. Others pointed to stronger operational resilience (22%) and cleaner, more reliable data (20%) as key benefits they hope Agentic AI can deliver.
Those expectations are tempered by real challenges. High integration costs with existing systems ranked as the top frustration at 32%, followed by concerns about understanding how AI models make decisions at 26%. Data quality also remains an issue today, with 22% of respondents saying poor or inconsistent data is holding adoption back.
For organizations that have not adopted AI or machine learning in core logistics processes, the hurdles are more basic. A lack of in-house expertise was cited by 23% of respondents, while 21% said unclear return on investment is keeping them from moving forward.
Agentic AI also brings added complexity. Forty-two percent of respondents said companies would need to redesign business processes to support autonomous decisions, while 22% pointed to the need for reliable, real-time data feeds.
Even with those concerns, leaders were clear about where they wanted to start. First- and final-mile route scheduling ranked as the top use case at 35%, followed by global supply chain network design at 20%.
When asked what would speed adoption, respondents pointed to clearer ways to measure ROI, more case studies from similar companies, and easier integration with existing planning systems.
“Executives are entering 2026 with a clear mandate: make Agentic AI real, measurable, and safe for operations,” said Daphne de Poot, Senior Vice President of Operations, Americas, for ORTEC. “Our research shows they believe Agentic AI can fundamentally improve cost, service, and resilience, but they need transparent decisioning, reliable data, and a phased approach that keeps planners in control while AI gradually takes on more of the repetitive and complex decision-making work. These survey findings provide a detailed view into how leaders are thinking about the next wave of AI – beyond predictive analytics and into autonomous, decision-making systems that can continuously optimize complex logistics networks.”
