Logistics is already putting AI to work. Government research notes that sectors like retail and logistics were already actively integrating AI to improve customer insights and streamline functions such as inventory management and supply chains AI Adoption Research - GOV.UK. That matters for hiring, because the tools landing on planners' desks now need people who can direct them well.
The wider skills picture tells you why. Across AI-related occupations, the net change ranges from approximately 696,000 jobs in an automation scenario to 1,072,000 in a technological opportunities scenario, with replacement demand rising from 3,077,000 to 3,193,000 jobs AI Skills for Life and Work: Labour market and skills projections - GOV.UK. The demand for people who can work alongside AI is growing, not shrinking.
There's a route into these roles too. Apprenticeships have risen from 3% of AI hires in 2020 to 19% in 2025 GOV.UK / DSIT – AI Labour Market Survey 2025 report. So employers aren't only chasing ready-made experts. They're building the skills they need.
Planning has always been about weighing signals: demand, lead times, stock, risk. AI agents can now draft forecasts and flag exceptions in seconds. The planner's edge is no longer doing the maths by hand. It's framing the right question, checking the agent's answer and deciding what to do next.
That human judgement is the bottleneck for adoption. Over 50% of manufacturers cite skills shortages as the main barrier to AI adoption, and only 2% say AI is widely embedded across their operations The Manufacturer / Make UK – AI, Skills and the Future of UK Manufacturing. Tools are ready. People who can direct them well are scarce, and that's exactly what makes these planners stand out.
The direction of travel is clear. The UK government announced a partnership to upskill 7.5 million UK workers in essential AI skills by 2030, equivalent to around 20% of the UK workforce techUK. Planners who build these skills early get ahead of the curve.
Start by writing the role around judgement, not just tools. You want someone who can explain why a forecast looks wrong, not only run the model. Ask people to talk through a time they overruled a system, and listen for how they reasoned it out.
Move quickly, too. Strong planners who can direct agents are in short supply, so a slow process loses them. A tight brief, a practical task and a fast decision keep good people engaged.
We help you find these planners end to end. We search 15 million candidates, rank a shortlist in under 30 seconds and manage the process from first contact to interview, so you focus on the decision rather than the admin. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Ready to build your logistics team with Reed.ai? Start today.
