Descartes launches Agent Control Plane for logistics AI agents

Descartes Systems Group has introduced a new AI agent coordination platform, the Descartes Agent Control Plane, designed to automate complex logistics workflows across applications, supply chain partners and business systems.

The platform was unveiled at the company's Innovation Forum in Chicago and is built on the Descartes Global Logistics Network (GLN). According to the company, it enables AI agents to coordinate multiple tasks while operating within customer-defined permissions and approval processes, with the aim of reducing manual work tied to shipment updates, information sharing and operational coordination across the supply chain.

The Agent Control Plane combines logistics data and connectivity from the GLN with capabilities from Descartes' existing software solutions. That lets AI agents respond to operational events, coordinate activities between different systems, and manage workflows that involve multiple trading partners.

The platform also maintains a traceable record of agent actions and incorporates human oversight at defined approval points. "Even with connected systems, supply chain teams devote significant time to interpreting updates from emails, messages and portals, rekeying information and coordinating next steps to move orders forward," said Ken Wood, Executive Vice President of Product Management at Descartes.

"The Agent Control Plane brings our logistics capabilities together so AI agents can take on more of that work across applications, conversations and company boundaries," Wood added. Descartes said the technology can help logistics teams manage routine follow-ups, respond to changing shipment conditions and coordinate activities as new information becomes available.

The company also plans to make its AI agents accessible through AI platforms its customers already use, allowing businesses to build on their existing technology environments. The launch forms part of a broader Descartes strategy to expand AI across transportation management, logistics services and global trade operations.

For logistics, a sector that depends heavily on information flow and multi-party coordination, the key question is whether agents can reliably act across systems while preserving permission controls and auditability. What to watch next is how quickly the Agent Control Plane connects to customers' existing AI platforms and how steadily the agents handle multi-party workflows under human approval.