• US Customs and Border Protection’s increasing use of AI is transforming freight forwarders’ roles from paperwork compliance to data integrity management, with enforcement focused on consistency, accuracy, and plausibility across multiple datasets rather than individual filings.
• AI acts as an anomaly detection tool, flagging shipments that deviate from expected patterns; forwarders must respond to alerts, verify data, and maintain disciplined processes to mitigate compliance risk and avoid costly delays.
• The shift creates both challenges and opportunities: forwarders must modernise operations, adopt data-driven procedures, anticipate AI flags to improve efficiency, and manage customer relationships carefully while strengthening supply chain awareness and due diligence.

The growing use of artificial intelligence by US Customs and Border Protection is reshaping the role of the freight forwarder, pushing the profession well beyond its traditional focus on paperwork. Increasingly, compliance is judged not on whether documents exist, but on whether the data behind them aligns with established global trade patterns.

“Freight forwarders are moving from paper compliance to becoming data integrity managers. CBP is far less focused on whether a document exists and much more focused on whether the data patterns make sense. That is a profound shift in how compliance is measured and enforced,” said Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the Airforwarders Association.

As CBP expands its use of AI to analyse trade flows at scale, consistency, accuracy and plausibility are becoming central to enforcement. Forwarders are now assessed across multiple datasets rather than individual filings, with discrepancies between declarations, shipment histories and trading relationships more likely to draw scrutiny.

“In the future, forwarders will be judged on consistency and accuracy across datasets, not just whether paperwork was filed. CBP is looking for trends as it tackles tariffs, counterfeits and forced labour enforcement. The paper filing itself is no longer the end of the conversation,” Fried added.

An anomaly detector

Rather than replacing human oversight, AI is being deployed as a sophisticated anomaly detection tool, accelerating the identification of shipments that fall outside expected norms. When those deviations appear, freight forwarders are often the first point of regulatory engagement.

“CBP is using AI to look for anomalies, and if a shipment looks wrong it will be flagged. That immediately brings the freight forwarder into the conversation. Whether we signed up for that role or not, AI is now operating in the background,” Fried noted.

Not all alerts point to genuine compliance failures. Some are false positives generated by pattern analysis applied at scale. However, the responsibility for responding remains unchanged.

“Sometimes there will be real anomalies and sometimes there will be false flags. Either way, the forwarder will be called on to explain what the AI has identified. Make no mistake, it is AI that is detecting these issues first,” he cautioned.

Paperwork to process discipline

As AI becomes more adept at identifying inconsistencies, the skill set required within forwarding organisations is shifting. Deep technical knowledge of artificial intelligence is not essential, but a practical understanding of how AI evaluates data is increasingly important.

“You do not have to be an AI expert or know how to programme it. You do need to understand how it works and what it is capable of. Most importantly, you need to understand the impact it will have on you as a freight forwarder,” Fried stressed.

This places new emphasis on process discipline, particularly around data verification. Informal assumptions that once went unnoticed now carry greater risk.

“You cannot speculate and hope for the best anymore. If something looks unusual, you must confirm it in advance before it is filed. Data-driven forwarders will be the best strategic partners going forward,” he emphasised.

Speed, efficiency and decision making

AI-driven screening also creates opportunities to improve speed and efficiency, a critical advantage in a time-sensitive industry. Identifying potential issues before cargo arrives allows forwarders to intervene earlier and avoid costly delays.

“This is an industry that sells time for a living, and speed really matters. If you can anticipate AI flags, you can take corrective action before the cargo even hits the port. That is a major operational advantage,” Fried remarked.

However, repeated AI-triggered alerts associated with a particular customer can lead to difficult commercial decisions.

“If a customer constantly triggers AI risk, that becomes a business decision, not just a compliance issue. You have to ask how much that customer is costing you to do business with. At some point, you may need to reconsider that relationship,” he acknowledged.

Risk, liability and partnerships

Concerns about automation and potential misuse remain, but Fried argues that AI’s primary impact is exposing risks that were previously invisible, including issues originating upstream.

“There is always concern about automation risk, but that is not the primary issue. AI is exposing upstream problems that forwarders never controlled but still have to explain. It is also detecting risks that were impossible to see manually in the past,” he reflected.

In this environment, protection against enforcement action depends less on resisting technology and more on demonstrating due diligence and supply chain awareness.

“The best defence is solid procedures and strong data processes. You have to prove that you knew your customer, understood the supply chain and reviewed suppliers against watch lists. Ultimately, freight forwarders are partners with CBP, and helping them fulfil their mission is in everyone’s interest,” he outlined.

Pushed to modernise

Freight forwarding has traditionally been cautious in adopting new technology, but regulatory and commercial pressure is accelerating change. Industry associations are increasingly helping members navigate a crowded technology marketplace.

“We have built a very active technology community within the association. We run webinars on automation and bring in experts to explain what to invest in and what not to invest in. Given limited financial resources, making the right technology choices is critical,” Fried outlined.

As enforcement pressure increasingly falls on forwarders, automation is becoming unavoidable.

“The legal liability may rest with the importer, but enforcement lands on the forwarder. That means automation and AI are no longer optional. Helping our members understand and adopt these tools will remain one of our primary focus areas,” he affirmed.

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