Kw-AI-liteit in de Keten

VDH Fruit Logistics (VDH) is a logistics service provider that inspects, stores, and distributes imported fruit and vegetables to distribution centers and supermarket chains in Northwest Europe. The quality of the products determines their allocation to distribution channels. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit, train, and retain sufficient inspectors. This can lead to a loss of knowledge within the organization, insufficient or less effective quality controls, and an increase in food waste in the chain.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help solve this problem by digitizing inspection processes and making them scalable. In the summer of 2024, VDH tested an AI application from an external provider, but this was unsuccessful. Therefore, VDH is considering the development of its own AI application, which it also intends to train using data from the logistics chain to combine quality inspection and allocation to distribution channels. The feasibility of an AI application that inspects products and provides an indication of suitable distribution channels is unclear. Through practical experiments, VDH, together with IT service provider Cargosnap, which facilitates the inspection process, aims to gain insight into which factors—such as product, process, and market characteristics—influence the effectiveness and training speed of the AI ​​application. This issue is also relevant for all companies, particularly those with limited data or small transaction volumes.

The central research question is: How can companies determine the feasibility and conditions for developing an AI application based on their own data?