As AI pushes deeper into freight operations, the message from technology providers has often been loud: AI will transform everything. But when you look closely at how intermodal terminals actually operate, the picture is far more grounded — and far more pragmatic.
Fresh industry data, paired with insights from Tideworks Technology’s recent commentary on digital readiness, paints a clear reality: terminals are indeed exploring AI, but only after core systems, clean data, and digital processes are in place. Without those foundations, AI offers limited value and, in some cases, creates more complexity than efficiency.
Digitalisation still outpaces AI
Across the global sample of terminal operators surveyed, digitalisation remains the top priority, far ahead of artificial intelligence. According to the UserEvidence dataset:
- 71% of all intermodal terminals list digitalisation as a highest-priority initiative
- Only 27% cite AI/ML as a primary priority — and in many segments, it ranks fourth or fifth
Even among large terminal networks (11+ sites), where AI interest is strongest, digitalisation still comes first: 64% prioritise it. In comparison, 73% mention AI — a rare case where AI rises, but still relies on other foundational projects underway.
This aligns with Tideworks’ long-standing stance: before AI can improve planning or forecasting, the underlying systems must communicate cleanly, consistently, and in real time.
Data friction the real bottleneck
The survey reveals a common challenge that underscores why AI can’t simply be “plug-and-play”:
- 60% of terminals struggle with integration issues with external partners
- 44% cite integration challenges with internal systems
- Lack of real-time visibility affects 44%, rising to 75% for single-site terminals
These figures reinforce a point often raised by Tideworks: AI does not replace the need for high-quality data flows. If terminals still rely heavily on spreadsheets, manual updates, or fragmented reporting — as 44% still do — then AI tools have nothing reliable to work with.
Before algorithms can optimise capacity or predict disruptions, terminals must tighten core digital processes and standardise information sharing.
Operators want practical wins
Asked about priorities for the next 12 months, the industry’s focus is refreshingly pragmatic:
- 60% aim to reduce unproductive moves
- 58% want better labour utilisation
- 53% want improved asset utilisation
- 51% cite safety and security
These are operational fundamentals. They reflect daily pressures: meeting throughput targets, controlling costs, dealing with labour shortages, and keeping equipment productive.
AI may help with some of these in the long run. However, today’s operators are still strengthening their foundations: improving their terminal operating systems (TOS), digitising appointments, expanding automation, and streamlining data flows.
In the survey findings, one project manager from Rail Cargo Group noted that improving the TOS, enhancing reporting, and implementing OCR will be critical before unlocking further automation and operational intelligence. This perspective appears repeatedly across the industry data: operators want enhancements they can measure, trust, and deploy incrementally.
Where AI begins to find its place
Even though AI isn’t leading the agenda, it is emerging in specific pockets. For instance:
- 14% of terminals already use AI to analyse operational data
- Among large networks, 36% use AI, reflecting more mature data environments
This suggests that AI adoption correlates with digital readiness. Terminals with strong TOS deployments, automated gate systems, OCR, and dashboards — all widely implemented across the same dataset — offer a better starting point for AI-driven optimisation.
Valuable benefits result from core digitisation
When terminals were asked what they expect to gain from digitisation, the top responses were concrete and immediate:
- 73% expect lower operating costs
- 66% expect improved customer satisfaction and reliability
- 66% expect fewer delays and bottlenecks
- 63% expect higher throughput capacity
These are benefits that do not require advanced AI. They come from automated gates, integrated booking systems, modern TOS platforms, standardised data exchanges, and reliable visibility tools — all areas Tideworks has long emphasised in its ecosystem approach.
Why “AI is not the end-all be-all” resonates
The combined message from the research and real-world observations is unmistakable:
- Terminals don’t want AI for AI’s sake.
- They want predictable gains, connected systems, and clean data.
- They want tools that enhance existing operations, not replace them.
- And they want technology that supports staff rather than overwhelming them.
AI will play a growing role in the sector — but only once the fundamentals are modernised.
Looking ahead: Build the foundation first
The freight industry is entering a period where digital maturity determines competitive advantage. AI is part of the future, but it is not the foundation. Instead, the foundation looks like this:
- A reliable, modern TOS with consistent data structures
- Real-time visibility across systems
- Automated data capture (OCR, AGS, sensors)
- Clean integrations with partners and internal platforms
- Standardised workflows and reporting
- A culture comfortable with data-driven decisions
This is where operators are investing today — and where vendors like Tideworks continue to focus their development efforts.
AI will eventually sit atop this digital infrastructure. But until the basics are strengthened globally, it’s clear from the numbers that most terminals want technologies that solve today’s real problems, not tomorrow’s hypothetical ones.
