Artificial intelligence, robotics, and logistics employment: The human factor in digital logistics

Supply chain management is impacted profoundly by digitalization in the forms of artificial intelligence (AI) or robotics applications (Bell & Griffis, 2011; Choi et al., 2021; Fragapane et al., 2021; Klumpp & Zijm, 2019). However, research is scarce regarding the impacts on logistics employment—but obviously, logistics is facing the most severe change since industrialization as digital applications are affecting every industry and all supply chains (Vijayakumar et al., 2021). Various studies investigate the substitutability of jobs by computers, robotics, and machines (e.g., Autor, 2015; Frey & Osborne, 2013). However, automating human work must be worthwhile and sustainable. The special topic forum is forwarding the discussion with regard to current developments addressing digital applications in logistics work. This editorial is about the human factor—but not only on the individual level but showing that humans and human–human interaction are relevant on all levels of supply chains through social interactions. There is a lack of theoretical foundations to explain current developments and to consider the role of the human factor (Sgarbossa et al., 2020), and this translates into restricted concrete empirical investigations.