Gently, a new logistics firm that leverages artificial intelligence (AI), has delivered its first item in Los Angeles, marking the company’s official launch.
The logistics firm was co-founded by former Harvard Business School classmates Anas Aljumaily and Elian Pres-Gurwits and aims to develop a fully decentralised supply chain across the US by 2040. This, Gently claims, will support the development of a more resilient supply chain.
The firm leverages artificial intelligence and predictive data to complete its last-mile deliveries, which it claims enables the creation of a more efficient and sustainable supply chain, as well as faster deliveries.
Gently hopes to position itself to retailers of all sizes as an alternative to major e-commerce and delivery providers.
A customer’s inventory is stored in micro-fulfilment centres in local communities provided by Gently that are owned and operated by individuals, who also deliver items to customers.
According to the company, this enables last-mile delivery drivers to generate income from the supply chain, not just from last-mile delivery, and also leverage appreciating, rather than depreciating, assets, such as property.
Elian Pres-Gurwits, co-founder of Gently, said: “99.9% of the businesses across the US are small businesses, and decentralising the supply chain will drive growth and unlock new opportunities for local retailers, last-mile delivery, and entrepreneurs.”
“The ‘gig economy’ has failed to live up to the hype, and bringing fulfilment centres closer to consumers provides job security and long-term certainty for those in last mile delivery. Our first delivery is a key step towards empowering companies to compete with e-commerce giants while maintaining their identity, autonomy, and connections to local communities.”
What’s more, the system also employs predictive machine learning that leverages data from retail partners, consumer purchase behaviour and third parties. These data sets are then used to predict demand spikes and supply shortages.
Anas Aljumaily, co-founder of Gently, said: “Gently is a new type of logistics company that will level the playing field for brands and retailers. Small businesses are increasingly at the mercy of the major e-commerce platforms, tech giants and legacy delivery companies, and we need to entirely transform logistics.”
Gently has launched with three delivery drivers with plans to soon expand to 10. Currently, it operates one fixed location and one mobile distribution hub in West LA; it expects to add three further sites by the end of May.
