Antonia Ambrozy is a dynamic and driven leader with extensive experience in business development, revenue operations, and strategy, particularly within the cargo industry. Currently serving as the Commercial Director, SMB Forwarders at WebCargo by Freightos, she oversees a global team and is responsible for driving digital transactions and revenue growth across 90+ markets worldwide.
AI is a big word nowadays. How does WebCargo perceive the integration of artificial intelligence into your logistics systems, and what benefits or challenges do you foresee in this process?
Ultimately, AI is a tool, not a means, so we first approach it by considering what value we want to drive for our customers and only then think about the way we implement it. That said, at WebCargo, we recognize the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the logistics and air cargo sectors. AI thrives when there is complex, semi-structured data, which is exactly what we generate every single day as a leading digital platform for air cargo bookings, pricing, and real-time data management.
In other words, integrating AI into our systems to take advantage of the over one million annual bookings we support for thousands of forwarders and carriers is a natural evolution to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.
For example, we can leverage AI for natural language input – like inputting natural queries for searches from forwarders – or for machine-learning optimization, when it comes to helping improve procurement. AI also helps us provide more accurate insights and better predict market trends. We are confident that AI will play a significant role in the future of air cargo, helping us to drive innovation and remain at the forefront of digital transformation in the industry.
With the rise of AI across the industry, do you see it replacing jobs in the long run? How do you personally envision the future role of AI in shaping the supply-chain management landscape?
On the contrary, I believe that as an industry, we’re still at such a nascent stage in logistics technology that strong talent is still the core bottleneck and that, if anything, every piece of tech means freeing up people to focus on things that are more difficult to automate. While AI is revolutionising many aspects of the logistics and supply chain industry, including streamlining operations and enhancing decision-making, it’s important to recognize that AI is not about replacing human talent, but rather about augmenting it. At WebCargo, we see AI as a tool that empowers us as a company, for example by automating routine tasks. We don’t want AI taking over customer relationships for annual negotiations or for dealing with sensitive and urgent cargo; we want it to free up the customer support rep so that they can be 100% focused on those relationship-driven goals.
AI can certainly handle specific topics, such as large-scale data processing, predictive analysis and even augmenting relationships, like by helping write more personalised support emails. However, the development, maintenance, and continual improvement of AI systems still requires skilled people and the complex nature of logistics, combined with the fact that it’s always people behind a keyboard, mean that we need empathetic and talented people to remain behind it all.
Looking ahead, AI will increasingly become an integral part of supply chain management, driving efficiencies through automation and precise analytics. It will enable real-time decision-making, optimise logistics networks, and improve demand forecasting. However, the human element will remain irreplaceable.
In summary, AI will not take jobs; instead, it will transform roles. The future of air cargo and supply chain management will be one of collaboration between AI-driven systems and human expertise, leading to a more resilient, efficient, and responsive industry.
Do you see traditional logistics agents and hauliers going out of business eventually due to the rise of booking platforms?
The rise of digital booking platforms, like WebCargo by Freightos, is certainly helping to transform the logistics and air cargo industry by providing greater efficiency, transparency, and convenience in addition to more revenue opportunities and greater access to data.
However, we do not see this development leading to the extinction of traditional logistics agents and hauliers nor is it our goal. Instead, we believe that we offer opportunities for these businesses to evolve and thrive in a more digitised market. As we expand to over 50 carriers and over 10,000 forwarders, we’ve seen a more diverse range of carriers and forwarders buying and selling services; we’ve also needed new opportunities for additional services like insurance and payments. In other words, building an ecosystem creates new opportunities for everyone in that ecosystem.
Traditional logistics agents and hauliers bring deep industry expertise, strong relationships, and a hands-on approach to problem-solving that are invaluable in complex logistics operations. Booking platforms can enhance these strengths by providing tools that streamline processes, offer real-time data, and improve communication across the supply chain. For example, agents and hauliers can use digital platforms to access competitive rates, manage bookings more efficiently, and provide their customers with faster and more reliable service.
Rather than being a threat, digital platforms are a catalyst for innovation and efficiency. Traditional players that embrace digital transformation and leverage these platforms will be better positioned to maintain a competitive edge.
What can you tell us from your observation and experience about current market trends in the countries of CEE in particular?
In the CEE region, we’re seeing an accelerated pace of change and are excited for the potential! One of the most notable developments is the rapid adoption of digital solutions across the logistics sector. Countries like Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are increasingly embracing WebCargo for a diverse range of use cases, including instant, digital bookings, freight rate management and online customer quoting, in line with accelerated digitization of the region as a whole.
The explosive growth of e-commerce in the CEE region is another major trend impacting the air cargo industry. As consumer demand for fast and reliable delivery services rises, air cargo operators are under pressure to optimise their networks and enhance last-mile delivery capabilities, driving more innovation to fill in the gaps
Infrastructure development is also playing a crucial role in shaping the air cargo landscape in CEE. Many countries in the region are making significant investments in upgrading their airports and improving connectivity with major trade partners in Western Europe and Asia. This enhanced infrastructure is not only facilitating smoother air cargo operations but also positioning the CEE region as a vital logistics hub for intercontinental trade.
Finally, sustainability is increasingly important in the region. Companies are striving to reduce their environmental impact by adopting greener technologies and optimising flight routes to minimise fuel consumption. This shift towards sustainability is driven by both regulatory pressures and a growing recognition of the need for responsible business practices. We’ve supported this effort by offering insights like “greenest” search options and embedded Co2 calculations.
When it comes to growth, what new services are you planning to introduce in the near future?
Exciting times are on the horizon at WebCargo! More supply options for digital bookings, more options from integrated interlining, fresher user experiences that match consumer app experiences and innovative use of data on the rate management and quoting side for our customers are a few sneak-peaks I can give. Stay tuned for more via our LinkedIn for the latest updates—you won’t want to miss what’s coming next!
For forwarders that don’t yet have an account with forwarders – did you know that you can create a free account to price and book air cargo in just seconds from over 70% of the global digital air cargo capacity? If you don’t have an account yet, go to webcargo.co to sign up today.
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At WebCargo by Freightos, we believe the digital cargo journey is just beginning. With over 15 years of experience and more than 70% of the global air cargo capacity available for digital bookings, WebCargo is the world’s largest air cargo booking platform, facilitating over one million bookings annually. It only takes a few clicks to enable free-of charge, fast and efficient freight pricing and booking across 50+ carriers. Together with our innovative solutions, designed to connect all stakeholders in the air cargo industry, we empower more than 4,000 forwarders across 10,000 offices globally, drive revenue growth, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency. |