Zenport unveils ZenRead, an innovative AI-powered service that combines automation with human expertise to tackle unstructured data in global supply chains, promising faster, more accurate operations amid ongoing disruptions.
Zenport, a company providing a comprehensive data hub for global supply chains, has recently introduced “ZenRead,” an AI-BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) service aimed at automating the traditionally manual processing of import documents. This innovation targets a critical bottleneck in supply chain management—handling unstructured data such as invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, and certificates of origin, which typically require labor-intensive manual entry into enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
Zenport’s data hub platform integrates various data types—from ERP systems, Excel sheets, to emails—into a unified, real-time visible environment that spans ordering, shipping, transportation, inventory, production, and sales processes. The service leverages patented technologies for automatic data reconciliation, which eliminates repetitive manual tasks like transcription of packing lists and checking shipment schedules on carrier websites. This seamless integration accelerates decision-making and operational efficiency for large multinational corporations, especially those navigating the complexities heightened by post-pandemic supply chain disruptions.
The newly launched ZenRead service employs AI-powered Optical Character Recognition (AI-OCR) technology to capture data from import PDFs and other documents. Recognising the current limitations of AI in achieving 100% accuracy in corporate data structuring, Zenport also incorporates a Human-in-the-Loop approach, where trained specialists verify and correct data to ensure precision before it is fed into core systems. This hybrid method optimises reliability while maintaining scalability through collaboration with external BPO partners that can flexibly handle fluctuating data volumes.
Zenport’s CEO, Fumiyuki Ota, explains that despite advancements in AI agents customizing user interfaces, foundational structured data from ERP systems remains indispensable and not easily altered. The challenge lies in linking this structured data with the overflow of unstructured communication data typical in B2B environments, where total accuracy is essential. Zenport envisions its platform as a stable gateway that harmonises these data types, thereby supporting intelligent automation without replacing the critical structures already in place.
The company has cultivated a globally diverse team from inception, with 70% of its workforce composed of international talent and English as the corporate language, reflecting the global nature of their customers and services. Currently, the majority of users operate out of Japan, with significant adoption across subsidiaries in North America, Europe, China, and Southeast Asia. Looking ahead, Zenport aims to scale globally following a model akin to that of Palantir, deploying forward-deployed engineers who tailor standardised core systems to clients’ specific requirements, thus enhancing both productivity and quality through a synergistic mix of AI and human expertise.
Zenport’s broader innovation portfolio also includes tools like SmartGrid, a feature facilitating bulk data entry from multiple sources, boosting real-time utilisation and cross-organizational connectivity, and ZenSync, which employs generative AI to semi-automate data mapping and integration workflows, reducing manual development burdens in complex multi-party supply chains.
The imperative behind these developments stems from the long-accepted inefficiencies and risks in supply chain data handling, often reliant on Excel and manual labour. Industry data reveals that around 80-90% of business data is unstructured, causing frequent errors and sluggishness in operations. Like Zenport, other companies in the AI logistics space, including Extend and Bem.ai, are also deploying AI solutions to convert unstructured documents into actionable, structured data to streamline logistics and customs processes.
As supply chains continue to face challenges such as unpredictable demand, geopolitical tensions, and tariff complexities, Zenport’s initiatives provide a meaningful step toward the digital transformation of global supply chains. By addressing the underappreciated problem of unstructured data with a practical, hybrid technological approach, the company’s efforts may well serve as a benchmark for future advancements in the industry’s digital evolution.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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