Is AI and Digitization New Avatar for Air Freighters and Forwarders

General observation points out that Start-Ups normally dominate Technology Disruption as they are constantly looking for those left out segments of markets, which have been overlooked by established players. This phenomenon can be currently seen in the crowded airfreight industry where start-up AI companies are promising air freighters with productivity efficiency and enhancement because of rising costs. AI start Ups are also offering services like major upcoming mega-events so that freighter and airlines can tap potential customers and relevant stakeholders for revenue and bottom-line enhancement. The airlines are also attracted to such AI start Ups, because of the IATA forecast for the current fiscal year, "a decline in global profits for airlines". As per IATA, overall profits are set to decline by 7% to $28 billion in the year 2020. Today AI is even promising to make inroads in a spectrum of operations areas, like targeted advertising, aircraft maintenance offering relative demand comparison services to airlines. The net result of these is benefits for freighter and carriers who change their offering, after looking at the high demand for freight or focus on filling seats at lower prices when they know there will be slower periods for passenger seats and lean demand for the freight sector. Airlines and freighters whose portfolios have significant dependence on freight are turning towards research based AI tools rather than gazing at crystal ball or sky gazing through spreadsheet matching events versus their offerings. AI startups have also started making inroads on one hand in providing insights to airlines on high-value cargo, and other hand promising passengers with lucrative benefits of alternative flights to accommodate cargo's weight. Further service experienced by B2C (which is raised by Online Retailing Co. like Amazon, Flipkart) is now has a domino effect on B2B organizations especially for freight forwarders who are looking for data to raise their standard bars. This exploratory paper draws data from literature and secondary sources to drive the point that how AI is making inroads on the freight and cargo industry of the future. It also paints a realistic picture of the future of these industries