Unboxing the Trends: Designing for Disruption and Proving AI’s ROI | Unboxing Logistics Ep. 81

Описание: In February’s episode of Unboxing Logistics, Tim Ranagan sits down with Lori Boyer to discuss what she’s hearing from industry leaders at events like RILA and Manifest. Their conversation focuses on how ecommerce teams are building with disruption in mind.

Disruption is the baseline in 2026

This year, supply chain leaders are learning to expect the unexpected.

Lori explains that disruption no longer feels temporary. Instead, “It’s the baseline.” So rather than waiting for conditions to stabilize, organizations are designing operations around uncertainty.

She points to data from the 2026 Thomson Reuters Global Trade Report showing that supply chain management has become the number one business concern for enterprise organizations, nearly doubling since last year’s report.

From AI hype to measurable ROI

AI was a hot topic at RILA and Manifest last year, and that pattern continued in 2026. But the tone has shifted; earlier excitement around flashy demos has given way to a more practical mindset. As Lori puts it, “AI is only of interest to people when it can show tangible, real-life returns.”

As she spoke with logistics professionals at the events, she noticed that teams that are considering AI solutions are asking tougher questions about cost savings, decision support, and measurable outcomes.

Resilience starts with the basics

Another recurring theme in Lori’s conversations was frustration with overloaded tech stacks—solutions that don’t work together, don’t solve the right problems, and ultimately create “tech stack fatigue.”

Her advice is straightforward: “Get your basics down.”

She continues, “You have to start with the problem… then find a tool. Don’t get a tool of any sort and just try to fit it into your company.”

Links:
Connect with Tim on LinkedIn:   / tim-ranagan-mba-2717bb125  
Connect with Lori on LinkedIn:   / loribboyer  
Visit EasyPost’s website: https://www.easypost.com/