Fluent Cargo unveils AI tool for real-time cargo data access

Fluent Cargo has introduced Ask Fluent, an artificial intelligence-driven search tool that provides logistics professionals with real-time access to live cargo and shipping data through natural language conversation.

Ask Fluent allows users to submit complex questions in everyday language, directly connecting them to live schedules, route recommendations, container tracking status, pricing data, and emissions insights. Unlike previous chatbot technologies that typically rely on static and sometimes outdated information, Ask Fluent leverages a continually updated database to provide users with current, context-aware shipping intelligence.

Real-time data

The new feature is built on five years of data standardisation and cleansing work by Fluent Cargo, underpinning its ability to respond to user queries with accurate, actionable information that considers the current state of the global supply chain. Logistics professionals can ask questions such as how to move containers from Japan to the West Coast of the United States, and receive tailored routing suggestions, live schedule information, and insight into whether particular vessels are maintaining their timetables.

"We're solving a fundamental problem in logistics technology - the gap between what professionals need and what current AI tools actually deliver," said Andy Greig, CTO of Fluent Cargo. "Ask Fluent transforms how our customers access critical shipping intelligence by putting real-time, contextual data at their fingertips through simple conversation."

Ask Fluent leverages curated data from the company's existing platform and is designed to adapt as the logistics landscape evolves dynamically. This capability is intended to address longstanding industry issues with fragmented systems and delayed updates.

According to Greig, the strength of Ask Fluent lies not only in the AI interface, but also in the underlying "unique data sets" that have been carefully generated, collected, and processed over recent years. These enable the system to quickly answer questions about direct and indirect shipment schedules, port calls, market price indexes, and shipment emissions, among other topics.

"Ask Fluent is not just chatbot technology - we're providing timely information with context, which is fundamentally different from what currently exists in the market," added Greig. "Instead of jumping between 10 different systems, users just need to know how to use a keyboard. Ask Fluent becomes the engine sitting in the middle of everything, with a powerful but simple interface that makes sense to everyone."

User experience

Fluent Cargo's Chief Executive Officer, Archival Garcia, said the company had concentrated on making the system "easily accessible" for users. The conversational approach is designed to provide customers with a more intuitive way to engage with the platform and quickly obtain specific answers on a range of shipment-related topics.

"Whether I'm tracking a container, PO, Workorder, product type or BOL, I just want to simply ask the question and get an accurate answer. We've worked very hard on making our User Interface easily accessible but with the depth of the platform, users want faster access," said Archival Garcia, CEO of Fluent Cargo.

Garcia stressed that the company's foundation of data quality will be crucial as industry clients begin to integrate Ask Fluent into their daily operations and workflows.

"Data is king so the past years of sourcing, collating and sanitising good data will provide us with a great basis for the start of our AI journey. Our customers will want to interface their own data sets and workflows so we're super excited about enabling that for them. This is the future of cargo logistics. Most people use ChatGPT as Google so we're ahead of the curve to be able to provide this right now."

Integration and access

Ask Fluent is currently available to Fluent Cargo's existing customer base, with access levels varying according to customer account capabilities. The company also plans to extend its integration with third-party logistics platforms, aiming for Ask Fluent to become a central node for data and cross-system workflows within the logistics sector.

Ask Fluent unifies several critical functions, such as routing, scheduling, emissions monitoring, disruption alerts, and market pricing, into a single conversational interface. This initiative aims to reduce the need for logistics professionals to switch between multiple systems, enabling streamlined access and faster decision-making in daily operations.

The launch of Ask Fluent follows significant investment in its infrastructure, with expectations that the tool will drive better operational efficiency for customers managing air, ocean, rail, and road-based shipments.