For Chief Operating Officers, CFOs, and heads of warehousing, logistics, and retail across Asia, 2026 will be defined by one overarching theme: strategic resilience through intelligent automation.
The region's blistering e-commerce growth, coupled with persistent geopolitical and supply chain volatilities (as highlighted by analysts like BCG regarding the fragmentation of global trade), is forcing a fundamental rethink of operational models.
By 2026, we will see the full maturation of trends nascent in 2024. AI and machine learning will transition from pilot projects to the core operational nervous system of high-performance warehouses.
Their primary role will be predictive: forecasting demand spikes with greater accuracy, pre-empting maintenance on automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and robotics to prevent downtime, and dynamically optimising inventory placement to slash picking times and maximise cube utilisation.
As Vivien Tay, APAC vertical lead for warehousing, transport & logistics at Zebra Technologies, puts it: "Companies are re-pivoting their strategies… to move to a more regionalised and resilient ecosystem." This shift isn't optional. It's survival.
The cost of missed SLAs
The pressure is financial and operational. According to Zebra's Warehouse Vision Study, cited by Tay, "missed SLAs are a huge financial burden."
In a world where consumers expect same-day delivery and inventory turns faster than ever, even a minor disruption — a delayed shipment, a broken AGV, an overstocked SKU — cascades into lost revenue, eroded trust, and spiralling costs.
The old playbook — linear supply chains, manual processes, reactive problem-solving — is obsolete. "It's no longer linear," Tay notes, referring to the rerouting of goods. "They will also have that real-time visibility as well."
AI: From pilot to pulse
By 2026, artificial intelligence will shed its "pilot project" skin and become the central nervous system of the high-performance warehouse. No longer a luxury, AI will be the engine for:
- Predictive demand forecasting — anticipating spikes before they happen.
- Pre-emptive maintenance — flagging AGV or robotic failures before they cause downtime.
- Dynamic inventory orchestration — slashing picking times and maximising cube utilisation.
"More than 70% of leaders see predictive analytics as crucial for streamlining inventory stock and also to maximise warehouse space," Tay reveals. The goal? To "anticipate disruptions, optimise inventory, and reroute goods quickly."
Safety meets smarts
Intelligent automation isn't just about speed and space — it's about safety.
Tay highlights a critical, often overlooked benefit: "A lot of APAC leaders believe that AI will help them to improve the overall workplace safety. This is by detecting hazards and helping workers improve their day-to-day operational tasks."
Reducing injuries isn't just ethical — it's economic. Fewer incidents mean lower insurance, higher morale, and uninterrupted workflows.
No rip-and-replace required
One of the biggest fears holding back modernisation? The perceived need to scrap legacy systems. Tay dispels this myth: "Integrating AI with existing warehouse management systems does not mean that the companies have to start all over again."
Zebra's approach — using middleware and modular solutions — allows businesses to "layer AI tools onto their legacy system," starting with low-risk workflows.
Their proprietary maturity model even lets companies "skip a phase" if they're ready for advanced automation. The result? Minimal downtime, immediate value, and a clear roadmap.
Beyond labour savings
When measuring ROI, leaders must look past labour displacement. As Tay explains, automation delivers value across multiple dimensions: "ensuring that there's optimised inventory, order precision and enhanced safety."
She adds, "They can actually have this loss prevention… using RFID to track goods." Shrinkage reduction alone can justify investment.
Then there's retention: "Employees feel more valued when they are given… higher value tasks rather than repeated tasks." In an era of chronic labour shortages, automation isn't replacing workers — it's elevating them.
Pilot to scale: The real challenge
Many digital transformations die in pilot purgatory. Tay's advice? "Think big, start small. Pilot one workflow, measure the results and scale in phases."
Rushing to scale invites failure. Success requires "getting the buy-in from your employees" and choosing "high impact, low disruption" use cases first. Zebra's work with Ingram Micro proves it's possible to integrate seamlessly "without any system disruption."
Sustainability is non-negotiable
ESG is no longer a side project — it's table stakes. "Sustainability… is no longer a goal. It's more like everybody has to commit," says Tay. Efficiency and sustainability are now two sides of the same coin.
Guarding the digital warehouse
As warehouses become increasingly connected — through IoT sensors, AI dashboards, and cloud platforms — cybersecurity becomes mission-critical. Tay warns: "Companies need to choose a reliable company… with certifications, and also to make sure that they have the right security software."
Biometric logins and identity confirmation are replacing passwords, adding essential layers of protection against breaches that can halt operations overnight.
Visibility equals customer trust
In e-commerce, real-time visibility isn't just a technical specification — it's a customer promise. "If I buy an item today, I would very much like the items to receive as quickly as possible," Tay empathises.
With 36% of APAC warehouse leaders citing "faster delivery to the end customer" as a priority, intelligent automation delivers transparency from "first mile to last mile."
When customers know where their order is and when it's arriving, loyalty follows.
The 2026 mandate
As we close 2025 and step into 2026, the message from Zebra's Vivien Tay is clear and urgent: "Don't be late into the game." She urges leaders "to think big and start small."
The path to strategic resilience isn't about grand, overnight transformations. It's about phased, intelligent adoption of automation — guided by data, anchored in employee buy-in, and designed for scalability.
In a world where supply chains are perpetually under siege, intelligent automation isn't just an advantage.
It's armour.
Click on the PodChats player and listen to Tay elaborate on strategic resilience through intelligent automation.
- At the operational level, briefly describe the business environment today from the perspective of the supply chain.
- Given the fragmentation of global trade routes, how are organisations in Asia leveraging AI and data analytics to build more regionalised and resilient supply chains to mitigate geopolitical risks?
- How are enterprises integrating predictive analytics into daily operations to move from reactive problem-solving to pre-empting issues in inventory management, maintenance, and order fulfilment?
- Given that most organisations have existing warehouse management systems (WMS), what is one proven approach for integrating new AI-powered software with existing legacy systems without causing disruptive downtime?
- Beyond labour displacement, can you share a proven approach/framework for measuring the full ROI of automation investments, including improved accuracy, enhanced safety, reduced shrinkage, and increased employee retention?
- Many technologies fail as they move from pilot to scale. How can organisations ensure that the automation technologies they implement today are scalable and flexible enough to adapt to unpredictable demand cycles and future business growth?
- With increasing focus on ESG, how are organisations using automation to measure and reduce their carbon footprint through optimised energy use, waste reduction, and more innovative inventory planning?
- As operations become more reliant on connected IoT devices and AI, what enhanced cybersecurity measures can be implemented to protect against operational shutdowns and data breaches?
- How is investment in real-time visibility technology directly translating into a superior and more transparent customer experience for e-commerce and retail partners?
- Our topic is strategic resilience through intelligent automation. What is your advice for warehousing and supply chain leaders in 2026?
