At the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics
In this interview, Eva Ponce, Director of MIT’s Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab, highlights how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing omnichannel retail. This technology enables more accurate demand forecasting by integrating real-time data, improving inventory management, and delivering personalized marketing campaigns. AI is also being applied to critical areas such as transportation and warehouse automation, helping companies respond more efficiently to customer expectations. According to Ponce, these tools are essential for managing logistics challenges in a highly competitive environment. Read the full interview here.
What is the MIT Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab?
The MIT Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab is developing new insight into how omnichannel fulfillment transforms supply chains through cutting-edge research with innovative companies.
- The rapid growth of mobile technology and e-commerce has dramatically changed customer behaviors and the needs of the different supply chain actors that support these behaviors.
- Our research identifies key challenges in responding to omnichannel market demands and develops strategies to face these challenges.
- The goal is to help companies identify new capabilities and technologies that will unlock new opportunities for growth and efficiency in omnichannel distribution networks.
- Our core areas of expertise include fulfillment strategies, trends in warehouse automation, omnichannel returns, and the role of AI in omnichannel and e-commerce.
Research Tracks
Current State and Future Trends
- Annual survey of industry professionals in partnership with DC Velocity and CSCMP
Network Design and Innovation
- Leveraging brick-and-mortar for e-commerce
- Channel integration
- E-fulfillment strategies
Warehouse of the Future
- Crafting a vision for the next decade
- Robotics and other advanced technologies
- Risks and vulnerabilities
Other Research Initiatives
- Role of AI in Omnichannel
- Circular supply chain initiatives
- Sustainable warehouses
Recent Research Partners
Research Team
Dr. Eva Ponce
Founder & Director
Director of Online Education, MIT CTL
Omnichannel
Dr. Inma Borrella
Research Scientist
Academic Lead, MITx MM in SCM
Digital SC Transformations
Dr. Miguel Rodriguez Garcia
Research Scientist
Course Lead, MITx MM in SCM
Warehouse Technologies
Dr. Shailesh J. Divey
Postdoctoral Associate
Warehouse of the Future
Ms. Laura Allegue
Research Assistant
Course Lead, MITx MM in SCM
Omnichannel
Mr. Kellen Betts
Research Assistant
Course Lead, MITx MM in SCM
Sustainability
MIT Collaborators
Dr. Maria Jesus Saenz
Research Scientist
Exec. Director, SCM, MIT CTL
Digital SC Transformation
Dr. Thomas Koch
Postdoctoral Associate
MIT CTL
Data Security
International Research Collaborators
Dr. Jafar Namdar
Assistant Professor
Michigan State University, Eli Broad College of Business
Dr. Adriana Gabor
Associate Professor
Khalifa University
Dr. Edgar Gutierrez-Franco
Research Affiliate
MIT CTL
Dr. Sergio Caballero
Senior Manager, Data Science
Walmart
Recent Student Research Assistants
Geoffrey Allen
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘23
Kirill Lobanov
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘23
Osama Alhasan
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘23
Shoichi Ishida
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘23
Alejandro Bosch
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘22
Ankita Arora
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘22
Kenneth Critchlow
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘22
Miguel Garcia Gonzalez
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘22
Pedro Benitez
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘22
Taylor Peterson
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘22
Abhijeet Singh
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘21
Jacob Backstrom
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘21
Niranjini Kumar
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘21
Yixuab Fang
SCM Master’s Graduate ‘21
Research Highlights
The rapid growth of mobile technology and e-commerce has dramatically changed retail behaviors and the needs of the supply chains that support these behaviors. Our research identifies key challenges in responding to omnichannel market demands and develops strategies to face these challenges.
Omnichannel and its transformation through AI
In this interview by Mecalux, Eva Ponce, Director of MIT’s Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab, shares her insights on the evolution of the omnichannel experience, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies in logistics and e-commerce.
AI technology enables more accurate demand forecasting by integrating real-time data, improving inventory management, and delivering personalized marketing campaigns. It is also being applied to critical areas such as transportation and warehouse automation, helping companies respond more efficiently to customer expectations. According to Ponce, these tools are essential for managing logistics challenges in a highly competitive environment.
“Technology and automation will play a key role in omnichannel supply chains”
Omnichannel fulfillment—The promise and hope of AI and technology
As e-commerce sales continue to grow, companies are looking to automation and technology—particularly solutions enabled by artificial intelligence (AI)—to help personalize customer experiences, improve inventory management, and enhance demand forecasting accuracy.
For the past three years, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) has conducted an annual study to determine how omnichannel is transforming retail supply chains. This year’s study—based on a survey of 238 logistics, warehousing, and supply chain professionals—took a closer look at whether companies were turning to emerging technology to address some of their biggest pain points.
Published in CSCMP’s Supply Chain Xchange:
Identifying The Key Vulnerabilities In The Warehouses Of The Future
The rapid adoption of automation and digital technologies in warehousing introduces new risks that could disrupt operations and impact the broader supply chain. Drawing from extensive state-of-the-art research and insights from over 40 warehousing and technology experts, our study identifies five major disruptions that can affect modern, highly automated warehouses: cyberattacks, power and network outages, technology sabotage, technology failures, and accidents caused by human-machine interaction.
Read more:
Contact Us
+1 (617) 715-4169
1 Amherst Street
MIT Building E40-369
Cambridge, MA 02139
United States
+1 (617) 715-4169
1 Amherst Street
MIT Building E40-369
Cambridge, MA 02139
United States