At its Innovation Forum in Chicago in 2026, Descartes Systems Group, which is the global leader when it comes to connecting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, unveiled the Descartes Agent Control Plane for logistics capabilities.
In 2026, a record number of customers, speakers, and sponsors are exploring innovation in supply chain and logistics technology. Built on the Descartes Global Logistics Network™, the Agent Control Plane is intended to establish trust in AI agents by orchestrating them across multiple applications and trading partners to implement multi-step workflows surrounded by defined guardrails and policies along with human supervision.
It is worth noting that supply chain teams spend a lot of time interpreting updates that come through emails and messages as well as portals, rekeying the information, and planning the next steps to push orders forward, even with connected systems, said the executive vice president of product management at Descartes, Ken Wood.
He added, “The Agent Control Plane for logistics capabilities ensures AI agents can take on more of that work across applications, conversations, and company boundaries; keep it moving as replies and approvals arrive; and act on events as they occur within permissions and approval points defined by customers. It’s an important step in our AI strategy, helping customers build on the Descartes solutions and AI platforms they already use and apply AI to the operational outcomes that matter, from reducing manual follow-up to keeping customer commitments on track.”
By way of combining the operationally ready data and connectivity of the Descartes GLN with capabilities from Descartes solutions, they are helping AI agents coordinate work between applications and trading partners and making Descartes agents accessible within the AI platforms that the customers already use. The GLN gives the logistics context to connect changes in one part of a shipment’s journey to steps needed anywhere else, while the Agent Control Plane enforces customer-defined authorizations and approvals and keeps a trackable history of agent actions. They collaborate to decrease manual handoffs, speed up responses to changing conditions, and release more time for teams to concentrate on special cases and customer relationships.
We are excited to have such a vibrant group of customers and sponsors as well as speakers attend this year’s Innovation Forum, said Edward J. Ryan, CEO of Descartes. He further said, “Record participation reflects the value of bringing this community together to share experiences, learn from one another, and explore new possibilities. The conversations we have here help us understand our customers’ priorities and shape how we continue to innovate in support of their success.”
This 2026’s three-day Innovation Forum attracts 1,000+ attendees and 200+ speakers, with sessions covering fleet performance management, logistics service providers, transportation management, and global trade intelligence, as well as e-commerce operations. Industry and customer presentations, conversations with Descartes product experts, and live demonstrations at the Technology Fair provide attendees possibilities to discover real-world ways to optimize operations and get greater value from their investments in technology.
