We join forces with Microsoft to develop the self-managing warehouse of the future
The innovative research project “Moonshot” aims to implement self-improving processes within the warehouse environment by leveraging generative artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and cloud computing. Arvato and Microsoft will showcase the visionary outlook and initial use cases of this project at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo 2024, 10 - 12 June 2024, Barcelona, Spain. The Gartner® Conference, held at the Barcelona Convention Center, is expected to attract around 1,600+ peers and vet new technologies at the Supply Chain/Xpo.
Arvato will feature its own booth, hosted by logistics experts from its Tech, Consumer Products, and Healthcare business units, who will be available to discuss the joint research project with Microsoft and the evolving challenges in supply chain management.
“We launched the Moonshot project with Microsoft in March, aiming for the ambitious goal of creating an autonomous warehouse," says Paul Brolly, Vice President of Global Business Development at Arvato. "Our approach involves examining various warehouse processes to automate and enhance them through robotics, digitalization, and AI. The focus isn't solely on individual processes. In the future, AI could handle the initial overall warehouse layout for new orders based on customer requirements, which we would then refine with our expertise. This approach saves time and effort.”
Microsoft, as Arvato's technology partner, plays an essential role in this initiative. "Microsoft's expertise in data platforms, compute capacities, Gen AI forecasting, computer vision, augmented reality, and cognitive services like speech recognition and text analysis is vital in realizing our vision of a self-managed warehouse," emphasized Brolly.
More importantly, Arvato can already demonstrate the practical applications of the Moonshot project. One use case optimizes picking routes using AI to reorganize task orders through rapid data analysis, enhancing navigation for pickers. Another use case involves AI-controlled interpretation of carrier responses in transport complaints. The AI Smart Layer interprets these responses and independently triggers appropriate actions in the claim management tool, freeing up resources by reducing manual complaint processing to three to four percent.
The official presentation of the Moonshot research project by Arvato and Microsoft will take place during the session “The Self-Managing Future Warehouse – An Innovation by Microsoft & Arvato” on June 12 at 1:20 p.m. on Stage 2, Level P0 of the International Barcelona Convention Center. For more information, please visit Arvato during the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium at Booth 218.
About Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo:
Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo conference delivers must-have insights, strategies and frameworks for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) and supply chain leaders to think big and drive real impact within their organizations. Join a global community of CSCOs and supply chain executives in 2024.
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About Microsoft:
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.