Multinational firms are turning to generative AI to manage increasingly complex supply chains, the Financial Times reports. Unilever, Siemens, and Maersk are some companies that have begun employing AI to locate suppliers and negotiate contracts with suitable partners, helping them avoid tensions and problems with the law. This comes as geopolitical tensions and more stringent ESG requirements demand that companies work to make their supply chains more resilient, whether by pruning connections with suppliers linked to human rights and environmental abuses or by spotting vulnerabilities.

AI-based solutions can scour bns of data points to suggest the best supply chain routes, permitting scale and efficiency that is considerably higher than that available through human agents, FT explained. The method is gaining traction within the industry, with 96% of companies looking to roll out AI solutions to supply chain networks, according to a Freightos poll of 55 logistics executives cited by FT.

But AI is not as accessible as it’s touted to be: Shortages of high-powered microchips are holding back China’s AI industry, Bloomberg reported. The Biden administration has cut off the country’s access to the most advanced chips produced by Nvidia Corp and has also curbed investment by American firms in China’s AI and quantum computing industries. Alibaba is feeling the pinch, with CEO Daniel Zhang noting that the company was unable to meet demand for AI training from its clients due to the shortages, according to Bloomberg.

China edges past Greece with world’s largest merchant fleet: China has surpassed world leader Greece in terms of the gross tonnage (gt) of its merchant fleet, Splash reports, citing a Clarkson Research survey. Greece still holds the lead in terms of fleet deadweight (dwt), while Japan has kept third place in the ranking. The latest results put China’s fleet at 249.2 mn gt, Greece’s at 249 mn gt, Japan’s at 181 mn gt, and South Korea’s and the US’ at 66 mn gt. China is also acquiring vessels to bolster its merchant fleet at a faster rate than Greece, the Clarksons Research weekly report noted.

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