New research from Auckland-based software company Sandfield shows that artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important to freight and logistics operators across New Zealand and Australia. The proportion of surveyed businesses using AI in production has almost doubled from 15% to 28% over the past year.
The Origin Logistics Technology Outlook 2026 also reveals a substantial gap between adoption and governance. Nine in ten operators have employees using general AI tools, but only 20% have a documented AI strategy. Despite growing investment, just 7% can demonstrate a measurable financial return from AI.
Key facts
- 28% of surveyed operators now use AI in production, compared with 15% previously.
- 90% have employees using general-purpose AI tools.
- Only 20% have a documented AI strategy.
- Just 7% can demonstrate a measurable return from AI.
- 82% want AI to reduce manual workloads rather than replace employees.
- 51% would trust AI with document classification, while 40% identified route or load planning.
Our take
This is an encouraging example of AI moving into practical business operations in New Zealand. Freight and logistics involve substantial administrative work, complex scheduling and large volumes of information, making them well suited to carefully implemented AI tools.
The findings also highlight a familiar governance problem. Organisations are adopting AI faster than they are establishing policies, oversight and ways to measure results.
For businesses considering AI investments, the priority should be identifying specific processes where improvements can be measured. Integrating existing systems, protecting operational information and establishing clear accountability are just as important as selecting the technology.
