Annual Review & Outlook 2026 Technology
Appoo contends that AI will change the size of the workforce using CargoWise across its customers, and the old pricing model didn’ t reflect the investment the technology provider devotes annually to maintaining and upgrading its product. That includes the development of AI agents to help CargoWise users get more value from their investment in the product.
“ We have introduced things that customers haven’ t necessarily asked for, and over time, they see the value.”
“ We see how rapidly AI has progressed,” Appoo said.“ It will cause labor reduction over the next year. That’ s the more urgent motivation.”
Still, industry participants are skeptical about the changes.“ You’ re introducing fees to a price-sensitive market that doesn’ t have a track record for paying this fee,” said Robert Petti, CEO of logistics technology provider Prompt Global and a former CargoWise service partner.“ Automatically there is going to be reluctance because of that. People are looking to ship for the lowest possible price. This [ cost ] will likely be eaten by forwarders. The choice of using CargoWise is the forwarder’ s, not the [ beneficial cargo owner’ s ].”
The CEO of another logistics technology provider who asked not to be identified said the WiseTech change is the equivalent of“ going to Taco Bell and they charge me a fee for their use of SAP.”
“ Every dollar counts for a forwarder’ s bottom line,” said a third logistics technology provider CEO.
Appoo is confident the industry will adapt, and learn to appreciate, WiseTech’ s new model.
“ We have, over time, introduced things that customers haven’ t necessarily asked for, and over time, they see the value,” he said.“ We’ re not just a software vendor, we’ re the operating system that runs their supply chain, the partner that makes sure they’ re compliant, and the solution that gives them levels of efficiency they wouldn’ t have access to before.”
email: eric. johnson @ spglobal. com
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84403 Shutterstock. com www. joc. com January 5, 2026 | Journal of Commerce 99