Q&A: Mark Albrecht, VP–Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise Strategy, at C.H. Robinson
By Jeff Berman · 2 February 2026
Summary
Mark Albrecht, VP for Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise Strategy at C.H. Robinson, explains how AI is shifting logistics from “computer‑aided work” — where humans drive predefined software workflows — to “agentic AI”, where models plan, reason and decide workflows themselves.
He frames AI as a general‑purpose technology that changes business platforms, compares past software trends to the new agentic era, and outlines the organisational and data changes leaders must make. Albrecht gives practical examples: natural‑language quoting via email, resilient document ingestion that handles novel PDFs, and a multi‑agent solution for LTL missed pickups that reduced unnecessary return trips by 42% and now automates 95% of routine checks.
He stresses prioritising a stable digital operating model (stabilise, standardise, scale) before scaling agentic automation, and predicts a structural shift in organisations from a pyramid of tactical workers to a “diamond” where staff manage fleets of agents and focus on higher‑value work.
Key Points
- AI is moving from reactive, pattern‑matching tools to agentic systems that reason, plan and act autonomously.
- Agentic AI lets C.H. Robinson automate complex, variable tasks (e.g. PDF orders, email quoting) that brittle ML systems previously failed to handle.
- Agent tech has pushed automation rates from a 50–60% ceiling to routinely above 90% for many tactical processes.
- Real customer wins include an LTL missed pickup agent: 42% fewer unnecessary returns and 95% of checks automated, conducted at scale and early in the cycle.
- Successful AI requires collecting new types of data (the “why” behind actions) so agents can trace reasoning and be aligned to outcomes.
- Organisational design will shift: tactical roles decline as agents take over routine work; humans will manage agents and focus on strategy (a move from pyramid to diamond).
- Prioritise stabilising and standardising the digital operating model (quote‑to‑cash) before pursuing growth via AI — the Lean thought of stabilise, standardise, scale.
Why should I read this?
If you’re in logistics or supply‑chain tech and wondering whether AI is hype or a real operational lever, this is one of those interviews that actually delivers practical answers — not marketing fluff. Albrecht cuts through the jargon: agentic AI is changing what gets automated and how you must organise and instrument your business. Read this to get a clear sense of where to focus (quote‑to‑cash, document handling, proactive issue resolution) and what to expect from implementation results.
Author take
Punchy and direct: this isn’t incremental automation — it’s a platform shift. If you want to keep operating the same way, you’ll get left behind. For practitioners, the takeaway is simple: get your digital operating model in order, collect the “why” data, then deploy agents where they return clear ROI.