Watch: AI in the Warehouse Today: What’s ‘Noise,’ and What Really Works?

In a time of constant change, what instills confidence in logistics leaders? Kait Peterson, vice president and head of marketing with Locus Robotics, answers the question.

With all of the volatility that warehouses are experiencing today, it can be difficult to achieve confidence in one’s operation. “Uncertainty is everywhere,” notes Peterson, “in many dimensions of the warehouse. It’s no longer just about volume — it’s SKU variability, labor challenges.”

Operational confidence means a warehouse operation is prepared to handle any sudden changes in staffing, sales, and peaks and valleys in demand, she says. “It’s the ability to perform in this uncertain world.”

At the same time, it can be tough to sort through all of the options and claims presented by automation, especially when it comes to the hype surrounding artificial intelligence. The key to successful adoption of automation in the warehouse, Peterson says, lies in the ability to merge software with physical AI in the real world.

Peterson calls this goal “the holy grail in the warehouse.” Actions that come naturally to people, such as picking up an object, can be extremely difficult to duplicate in a machine. At the same time, the robot needs to be linked to the system’s “brain,” represented by agentic AI, in order to carry out the desired tasks.

Peterson stresses the important of fashioning a “flexibility-first” system in the warehouse, one that coordinates across workflows and can handle the demands of the moment. That’s especially important when it comes to third-party logistics providers, whose customers can vary widely in their individual requirements for stocking, sorting, replenishment, returns and transportation.

Flexible warehouse operations replace the days of implementing monolithic systems that take years to deploy and lock the facility into a current state of demand, Peterson says.