Logistics in the era of AI and robotics: From warehouses to the "lights-out factory"

AI and robotics are reshaping logistics: from supply chains integrating real-time data to "lights-out factory" models run entirely by robots — driving new requirements for warehouse infrastructure and the workforce.

Smart supply chains in logistics

FedEx processes around 17 million parcels per day by combining scan data, package-level intelligence and AI analytics to optimise cross-border operations. As supply networks span more countries with rising geopolitical and regulatory risk, the ability to turn data into decisions becomes a core competitive layer.

"Dark factory": when robots replace humans in operations

Viettel Post deployed more than 200 robots at one sortation centre — a facility that previously required 600 people — and reached a 5x productivity gain. The system runs 24/7, robots self-charge, no lighting is required, and there is no human presence on the operational floor.

Restructuring the logistics workforce

Labour demand is shifting from manual handling to technology operations, data analysis and systems management. Vietnamese shippers currently complete 80–100 deliveries per day versus 1,000–1,500 in developed markets — the gap is expected to narrow as automation and AI scale.

For warehouse and factory operators, the new logistics model demands floor loading, clear height, stable power capacity, data cabling and dock layouts designed for autonomous robots — specifications best set at the design stage rather than retrofitted after handover.

Source: VnEconomy – Logistics in the era of AI and robotics.