Agentic AI and safety in transportation and warehousing: an organisational information processing perspective

The transportation and warehousing sector is crucial for supply chain efficiency but faces growing safety challenges. Staff encounter risks like fatigue, hazardous conditions, and human error, while traditional safety management often falls short. Agentic artificial intelligence (AI), technology capable of autonomous decision-making and proactive intervention, presents new opportunities for workplace safety. However, little research explores its impact in logistics and warehousing. This study uses Organisational Information Processing Theory (OIPT) to examine how agentic AI improves organisations’ ability to process safety information and manage risk. OIPT states organisations must boost information-processing to address uncertainty. Survey data from 217 senior members of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) across Europe were analysed to assess links between agentic AI and safety. Results show agentic AI enhances safety through real-time risk detection, fatigue monitoring, and accident prevention, reducing incidents and boosting employee confidence. The study identifies agentic AI as a new way to manage uncertainty in complex logistics environments, enabling more effective safety management and resilience.