C.H. Robinson CEO says AI will drive freight brokerage consolidation

Core Viewpoint - C.H. Robinson's CEO believes that AI will lead to consolidation in the freight brokerage industry rather than disruption, despite a recent stock selloff related to AI advancements in freight platforms [1]. Group 1: Stock Performance and Market Reaction - C.H. Robinson's shares experienced a significant drop of 14.5% on February 12, marking the largest single-day decline in nearly two years, amid concerns over AI-enabled freight platforms disrupting traditional brokerage models [1]. - Following the selloff, the stock has partially recovered but was still down 6.1% at $178.44 in afternoon trading on the day of the report [1]. Group 2: AI Impact and Industry Outlook - CEO Dave Bozeman characterized the stock selloff as a "short-term reaction," emphasizing that C.H. Robinson's scale and proprietary data provide a competitive edge that is hard for smaller rivals to replicate [1]. - Bozeman anticipates increased consolidation in the industry as smaller companies struggle to compete in an AI-driven market that demands extensive data and expertise [1]. - C.H. Robinson reported a fourth-quarter profit that exceeded Wall Street estimates, partly due to AI-driven efficiencies that improved operations and reduced manual processes [1].