Artificial intelligence is a big buzzword right now and for a good reason. It can disrupt and transform the entire industries profoundly changing the way people work and interact with each other.
The moving industry has not been left on the sidelines of this life-changing process. In fact, it is one of the five industries most affected by AI. Let’s have a closer look.
1. Driverless trucks
According to The Guardian , AI will eliminate 6% of all jobs in the US, and truck and taxi drivers are the first ones to be substituted. As you can imagine, the benefits for a customer are supposed to be significant but employees will be simply pushed out of the industry.
AI-run trucks will hopefully get involved in fewer accidents on the road. Since there would be no drivers, the truck can move without interruptions (drivers need to eat and sleep which increases time on the road). This will reduce the delivery time and cut down costs.
2. Less scams
The moving industry is infamous due to a large number of frauds, scams and unethical practices widely used by unreputable movers. “This casts a shadow over the whole industry but AI can change this altogether. Full automation, transparency and accountability will leave little room for fraudsters.” – says Ross Shetman, Long Distance Moving Company CEO.
3. A quest for a new kind of knowledge
Experts predict that the real wave of AI implementation will begin as soon as 2021. While the benefits for customers are v tangible and promising, the moving industry’s employees will encounter a new harsh reality. There will be less vacant jobs and the skillset required to get hired is going to be very different. For example, according to Wired, semi-autonomous vehicle technology enables a pair of truck drivers to safely navigate a convoy of multiple trucks.
Working with AI technology scares a lot of people because few of us understand how it works. And so the moving companies will likely employ less staff and look for workers who specialize in AI and possess the specific knowledge to manage it.
AI-run trucks will hopefully get involved in fewer accidents on the road. Since there would be no drivers, the truck can move without interruptions (drivers need to eat and sleep which increases time on the road). This will reduce the delivery time and cut down costs.
2. Less scams
The moving industry is infamous due to a large number of frauds, scams and unethical practices widely used by unreputable movers. “This casts a shadow over the whole industry but AI can change this altogether. Full automation, transparency and accountability will leave little room for fraudsters.” – says Ross Shetman, Long Distance Moving Company CEO.
3. A quest for a new kind of knowledge
Experts predict that the real wave of AI implementation will begin as soon as 2021. While the benefits for customers are v tangible and promising, the moving industry’s employees will encounter a new harsh reality. There will be less vacant jobs and the skillset required to get hired is going to be very different. For example, according to Wired, semi-autonomous vehicle technology enables a pair of truck drivers to safely navigate a convoy of multiple trucks.
Working with AI technology scares a lot of people because few of us understand how it works. And so the moving companies will likely employ less staff and look for workers who specialize in AI and possess the specific knowledge to manage it.
Add to this that a truck driver is the most common job in the world – 3.5 million in the US alone, according to The Newsweek. To say that AI will disrupt the moving industry almost feels like concealing the true scale of the change.
4. A changing face of the competition in the industry
As always with the big changes, there are early adopters who are willing to innovate and rejectionists who prefer to do business the old way, even if it is costing them big.
Lots of companies in the moving industry will oppose the AI impact. But the truth is that once the tide actually begins, it will likely sweep the entire industry, leaving those who do not wish to adapt sidelined.
AI also means that the customer service will be better than ever before. Movers that will be able to adopt AI will get in the lead and customers, seeing lower costs and better service, will switch to them.
Unions will have their say too, naturally opposing the technology that will leave its members jobless. But will their efforts be fruitful remains a question without the answer just yet.
5. AI is flawless, or is it?
Even computers cannot guarantee a 100% flawless outcome of a specific task. In the moving industry, GPS is not always perfectly reliable, especially when it comes to the minor roads. Human creativity and willpower often solve this problem at a moment’s notice and experienced drivers rarely find themselves stuck in these situations.
In case with the AI, things are going to be different. Most likely, companies will need remote control pilots to track trucks and oversee the delivery process. But that will require new technology and specific skillset. For small local movers which are oftentimes family businesses this might become impossible to implement due to the costs.
There is no doubt that AI will continue to progress as we can conclude from a bustling startup scene working in the area. For the benefits of both companies and customers, it is very important that the moving industry can work out a sustainable way to grow.