C.H. Robinson has expanded its Lean AI technology into global freight forwarding, introducing specialised artificial intelligence agents to automate freight quotations, ocean booking requests and customs documentation processes.
Announced on October 26, 2026, the development builds on the company’s growing use of AI to streamline logistics operations, improve processing times and reduce manual coordination across international supply chains.
The company said its AI-powered pricing systems have generated more than 80,000 freight quotations for over 3,600 customers. Tasks that previously took up to one day for air freight and two to three days for ocean shipments can now be completed in approximately two to three minutes.
The technology uses interconnected AI agents to evaluate shipment requirements, identify suitable ports, assess terminal charges, determine inland transportation options and recommend appropriate shipping routes. It can also consider road, rail and barge alternatives, along with shipment consolidation requirements.
“As we’ve brought our AI playbook to global forwarding, the benefits keep compounding,” said Mike Short, President of Global Forwarding at C.H. Robinson, highlighting the benefits of faster access to shipping information and greater flexibility in evaluating routes, schedules and transport options.
Initially introduced in 2025 for less-than-container-load (LCL) ocean shipments involving customers in the United States and Canada, the AI-powered quotation capabilities have expanded to full-container-load (FCL) ocean freight and air cargo. The service now covers customers across Mexico, Europe, Latin America and Oceania, with pilots underway in China and further deployment planned across Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Africa during the fourth quarter of 2026.
AI-driven ocean booking automation
C.H. Robinson has also introduced AI agents to process ocean booking requests, which the company receives by the thousands each week. The technology was launched in China in August 2026, with expansion across Asia planned for the fourth quarter and a global rollout targeted for the first quarter of 2027.
The system incorporates customer-specific information, shipment requirements and operational preferences to automate booking workflows. According to Chief Technology Officer Mike Neill, the company previously achieved approximately 5% automation of ocean and air booking requests over a decade through digital booking forms and customer data exchange systems.
The company expects agentic AI to expand automation, particularly for bookings originating from multiple suppliers, although further development will be required before every stage can be automated.
Customs processing time reduced by 23%
The company is also deploying AI in customs brokerage operations involving documentation for shipments entering the United States. Its systems classify incoming documents, link them to individual shipments, extract relevant information, identify missing paperwork and initiate requests for outstanding documents.
C.H. Robinson said the technology has reduced the time spent on the affected customs processing activities by 23%, enabling customs brokers to focus more on document validation and regulatory compliance.
The latest expansion forms part of the company’s broader Lean AI strategy, which draws on hundreds of proprietary AI agents developed since 2023 by its engineering and data science teams.
C.H. Robinson said human oversight remains integral to its approach as it continues extending AI-driven automation across global logistics operations.