Logistics professionals are worried about their ability to plan for the future.
At least, that’s one takeaway from our recent June 2025 survey, which found that “major unforeseen disruptions” are a major pain point for 18% of logistics decision makers across the US. Be it fluctuating tariffs, inflation, supply chain disruption, or weather events, they’re all pushing companies to take risk management very, very seriously.
Here, we’ll examine some software solutions that may help: supply chain risk platforms, many of which are thriving and making lofty claims about the power of their AI functionality.
Why Are Unforeseen Disruptions Such a Problem Right Now?
Nearly one out of every five logistics professionals we polled said they were concerned about “major unforeseen disruptions” in the immediate future. This is the largest number of respondents that have reported it as a primary concern since our tracking of this response data began.
Along with extreme weather like tornadoes or heatwaves, there’s another even more widespread type of major disruption for logistics companies to worry about in 2025.
New tariffs are slowing imports to the US, while also hiking the price tag for shipments that still come in. The immediate numbers aren’t looking great. General Motors lost $1 billion in a single quarter, while Apple’s stock took a hit. A long-term inflation in vehicle prices for freight operations has yet to manifest.
It’s all contributing to a riskier environment than ever, and as Tech.co’s 2025 Logistics Report details, the ongoing driver shortage isn’t helping companies remain flexible.
How Supply Chain Risk Platforms Can Help
One category of emerging tech solution just might be able to help logistics owners and managers better prepare for otherwise-unexpected events: Supply chain risk platforms.
The term refers to a crop of startups that rose to prominence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was, not-so-coincidentally, the last time that logistics and transportation companies faced seismic, unforeseen change. At the time, these new “supply chain visibility” software dashboards offered general insights into potential or upcoming disruptions to the global shipping supply chain.
A risk platform’s actual value offer will vary by client. They might create custom software to help corporations determine if shipments will be delivered before or after a tariff takes effect, or to figure out the value of frontloading shipments ahead of new tariffs.
One startup, Altana, launched a “tariff simulator” for future-looking insight into alternative suppliers. Another platform, Resilinc, has an AI agent tool that guides customers through similar conversations.
The overall supply chain risk market is projected to hit $46.21 billion by 2034, according to one estimate.
Who Are Supply Chain Risk Platforms for?
In all cases, supply chain risk platforms tend to be most helpful to multinational or midsize customers that benefit from their scale when buying or shipping.
Your specific industry will also determine if a supply chain risk platform is worth an investment as well: The entire manufacturing sector can benefit, as can sectors most likely to be impacted by current or upcoming tariffs, from semiconductor or chip makers to auto companies. That said, tariffs are going up across the board, so any company that relies on the global supply chain may want to consider a risk platform in 2025.
The benefits are clear: The right tool can highlight potential unexpected costs before they manifest, and the right AI agent might even be able to suggest an alternative supplier who can make up for a shortfall. The biggest benefit is cost savings, but another value-add is the potential for a stronger logistics reputation.
Reputations are fickle things for any company. We’ve previously covered the tech advancements that freight operations can use to gain an edge, with fleet management software topping the list. However, even more companies rely on getting supply chain deliveries than make the deliveries themselves, so the total number of companies that may need supply chain risk platforms is even higher.
AI-Powered Supply Chain Risk Platforms to Know
Think your bottom line might be healthier with a risk management platform on your side? Here’s a quick look at the most relevant companies in the supply chain risk platform world right now.
