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The new trace
How AI-led integrated logistics is transforming stock tracing, visibility, and decision-making across modern supply chains
Ravikanth R. Bandakunta
By Mayur Kaushal
For a long time, stock tracing sat quietly in the background of supply chains—important, but rarely discussed. Today, it has become central to how businesses operate and compete. According to Ravikanth R. Bandakunta, CEO and Founder of Forward Space Logistics Pvt. Ltd., this shift has been driven by the growing role of AI and the move toward truly integrated logistics. “AI is transforming stock tracing across the entire logistics chain—from first mile to last mile—by making operations more accurate, predictive, and automated,” he says.
What feels most different now is the level of connection across the system. Earlier, procurement, warehousing, transportation, and forecasting often worked in silos. “Today, AI-led platforms bring all of this into one ecosystem,” Ravikanth explains. That integration improves visibility and traceability, but it also strengthens planning, unifies vendor networks, smoothens inventory flow, and helps logistics providers deliver a more dependable service.
Traditional stock tracking, he points out, depended heavily on manual data entry, physical counts, and constant follow-ups. “That’s where errors crept in — miscounts, delays, stockouts, and poor accuracy,” he says. AI-powered logistics addresses these everyday pain points by offering real-time visibility through WMS and ERP systems, automated tracking using barcodes, RFID, and IoT sensors, and intelligent documentation that removes guesswork. With predictive analytics and automated replenishment in place, inventory management becomes faster, cleaner, and far less stressful.
On the ground, integrated logistics is not a buzzword—it’s a way of working. “It simply means the entire supply chain runs as one connected, data-driven system,” Ravikanth explains.
For ecommerce, retail, and FMCG businesses handling high volumes, this translates into centralized control, real-time visibility across warehouses, smoother stock movement, optimized routing, and quicker, more accurate order fulfilment.
Ravikanth offers a straightforward example: a customer places an order, the ERP or WMS checks stock across locations, procurement is triggered automatically if levels are low, the TMS assigns the best carrier, and the customer gets live updates. “Everything moves together,” he says. “That’s how delays are reduced and service stays consistent.”
AI has already proven its value in large warehouse environments, where intelligent systems work alongside IoT devices and barcoding to track inventory across thousands of locations. “It speeds up restocking, reduces human error, lowers costs, and keeps shelves stocked,” Ravikanth notes, adding that near-perfect accuracy is no longer an aspiration — it’s becoming standard.
Forecasting, once a high-risk guessing game, has also changed dramatically. AI analyses past data and real-time demand, updating predictions constantly. This helps businesses avoid overstocking and shortages, stabilise production, and reduce wastage. “Forecasting becomes proactive instead of reactive,” he says.
At Forward Space Logistics, technology is always paired with people. “AI gives us speed and insight, but human judgment keeps operations flexible,” Ravikanth says. Looking ahead, he believes stock tracing will continue to evolve through this partnership. AI will handle the repetition and precision, while humans guide strategy and decision-making—ensuring logistics remains efficient, responsive, and grounded in real-world needs.