The Foundation Problem: Why AI Pilots In Global Trade Keep Failing

Valentina Jordan from Nauta explains why AI pilots in global trade fail—and how context, institutional knowledge, correction loops, and a strong foundation enable AI to scale.

Sep 17, 2026

Once an order is placed, roughly forty documents will be created by nine different companies, in four countries and two languages, and not one of them will be 100% accurate. The gap between what was agreed and put into writing, and what actually happens, is where operations teams lose money for the whole company.

Almost every supply chain leader I speak with is hoping AI can close that gap. Many are also having a similar, frustrating experience: a demo that impresses their executive team, followed by a pilot that never reaches production.

AI can do the work. But first, it has to understand your company. That is the part most pilots skip, and it shows up in four predictable ways:

The First Half of 2026: What’s Changed, What’s Worked, and What’s Next

The first half of 2026 has been anything but predictable. Tariffs, geopolitical tensions, AI advancements, changing transportation market conditions, and other developments have created new challenges — and new opportunities — for supply chain organizations. As we reach the midpoint of the year, we’d like to understand what has had the greatest impact on your organization, what has surprised you, where you’ve made the most progress, and what priorities will shape the months ahead.

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