Nippon Express has added a new feature called “BI LLM Chat” to its logistics web application “DCX,” which enables interactive data analysis utilizing generative AI (LLM). This development is driven by the challenge of needing rapid and sophisticated decision-making within global supply chains, where uncertainties are increasing due to factors such as geopolitical risks and the shortening of product life cycles.

Launch of the New Interactive Feature “BI LLM Chat” and Its Background

According to an announcement made by Nippon Express on August 18, 2026, the company has launched “BI LLM Chat,” a new feature utilizing generative AI, within “Business Insight,” a data analysis optional service for “DCX,” its AI-powered logistics web application. In recent years, the environment surrounding global supply chains has become increasingly uncertain against the backdrop of geopolitical risks and the shortening of product life cycles. Under these circumstances, in order to make prompt and accurate decisions, integrated and rapid analysis is essential, incorporating not only company-specific logistics data but also external environmental information such as market conditions and supply-demand trends. Nippon Express has previously and strongly promoted logistics visualization and the real-time utilization of data through its DCX logistics web application. Now, to swiftly support the advanced decision-making of an even larger number of customer companies, the company has developed and introduced this new feature, which automatically and integrally analyzes a combination of historical data accumulated on DCX and a wide variety of the latest external environmental information available on the internet.

Specific features and utilization benefits of “BI LLM Chat”

The standout feature of BI LLM Chat is its ability to integrally analyze a company’s proprietary performance data alongside the latest external market information from the internet using a large language model (LLM) in a secure environment. For instance, when tackling complex queries that combine internal data with external factors—such as evaluating whether current inventory levels can maintain delivery deadlines based on past shipment records and the latest market conditions in a specific region—the AI provides insights from multiple perspectives to strongly support decision-making. Furthermore, by adopting an intuitive conversational format using natural language, even users without specialized IT skills or advanced data aggregation knowledge can instantly obtain analysis results simply by typing into the chat interface. This significantly reduces the man-hours required for data aggregation, report generation, and factor analysis, which traditionally took several days of manual work. Additionally, because it is built within a secure environment isolated from the outside world, highly confidential input data is never used for external AI training, allowing users to leverage its convenience while maintaining high security.

Digital Transformation Driven by the NX Group

DX Specialist Training Program in Collaboration with NEC

NX Group, which has Nippon Express under its umbrella, is a global logistics company operating land, sea, and air transport modes in over 50 countries and regions worldwide, and positions DX as a key management priority. At the core of realizing this roadmap is the development of DX project leaders. To cultivate talent capable of driving group-wide transformation, a practical training program was launched in October 2023 with the cooperation of NEC. This program leverages the expertise of NEC Academy for DX—a digital talent development support program provided by NEC—and addresses specific themes from the actual workplaces and businesses in which the participants are involved as assignments. For an overview of the training, please refer to the figure below.

. As of August 2024, the program has already reached 60 graduates, with the goal of developing 400 DX project leaders by the end of fiscal 2028. By combining proactive workshops and 1-on-1 sessions with consultants, the program prevents participants from feeling isolated and strengthens a framework that enables them to autonomously drive DX in their workplaces after completing the course.

Development of a proprietary BI tool and its horizontal rollout across the group

The results of human resource development within the NX Group have already generated concrete business value. At the core of this is a uniquely developed BI tool designed to centrally manage and visualize the progress of DX projects, productivity improvement effects, and profit contributions across the entire group. Launched in September 2024, this initiative has made it possible to collectively visualize approximately 200 DX projects deployed across group companies. By sharing initiatives in real time that were previously promoted individually by each group company and base, the introduction of effective advanced technologies and horizontal deployment within the group have become extremely smooth. In addition, a framework called the DX Canvas, which was utilized during training to organize the delivered value and cost structures of in-house projects, served as a major catalyst for on-site leaders to experience value co-creation with other departments. By breaking down departmental barriers and having autonomously active DX project leaders collaborate, sustainable growth and profitability improvement in logistics are being powerfully promoted.

Advanced Examples of AI Implementation and Future Trends in the Logistics Industry

Track records of pioneering delivery AI and demand forecasting AI in other industries and competing companies

The implementation of delivery AI and demand forecasting AI has brought tremendous cost-effectiveness in addressing the 2024 problem in the logistics industry and improving operational efficiency. Yamato Transport, an early adopter, introduced a system using big data and AI to forecast delivery workloads and optimize vehicle dispatch. As a result, they have achieved up to a 20% increase in delivery productivity and reduced CO2 emissions by up to 25% through shortened driving distances. In addition, in a delivery optimization test using its in-house developed AI, FamilyMart reduced the number of delivery routes by 10% and cut route creation time to one-eighth of the conventional time. This simultaneously achieved an annual transportation cost reduction of over 1 billion yen and an annual CO2 emission reduction of 1,300 tons. Furthermore, ASKUL has a track record of reducing manual tasks by approximately 75% and inbound/outbound operation man-hours by about 30% through the introduction of AI-based demand forecasting. These cases demonstrate that the utilization of AI technology is an extremely crucial strategic tool that dictates the competitiveness of shipping companies and businesses.

Multimodal Capabilities and Outlook for Next-Generation Logistics

AI technology in the logistics sector is seeing further diversification and integration from 2026 onward. With more than 40% of generative AI solutions projected to be multimodal by 2027, practical applications of AI capable of integrally processing dashcam footage, voice commands, and cargo sensor data are beginning to emerge in logistics operations. A future where AI seamlessly supports the entire delivery process from upstream to downstream—such as automatically verifying load capacity and providing early detection of accident risks—is rapidly becoming a reality. Furthermore, demonstration experiments for autonomous trucks in trunk-line transport and drone deliveries in depopulated areas are accelerating, with delivery AI taking on a core role in controlling these autonomous mobile systems and comprehensively optimizing multimodal transport. At the DCX exhibition presented by Nippon Express at AWS Summit Japan 2026, shipping forecasting services leveraging AWS’s time-series forecasting model, Chronos-2, were also showcased, drawing significant attention to the rollout of next-generation solutions that highly fuse digital technology with frontline logistics capabilities.

Reference page

• [Nippon Express Logistics Web App “DCX” Service Site] https://www.nipponexpress.com/dcx/jp/top/index.html
• [Yamato Transport News Release (Announced on August 3, 2021)] https://www.yamato-hd.co.jp/news/2021/newsrelease_20210803_1.html
• 【FamilyMart News Release (Announced on July 26, 2024)】https://www.family.co.jp/company/news_releases/2024/20240726_02.html

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