DHL Group and Alibaba.com have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the use of artificial intelligence to simplify international logistics for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The companies will examine how Alibaba.com’s agentic AI platform, Accio, could connect with DHL Global Forwarding’s logistics services, allowing businesses to access freight forwarding information and services more directly as they manage cross-border trade.
The agreement was announced at Alibaba.com’s CoCreate 2026 Conference in Los Angeles. The companies said the collaboration is intended to address multiple stages of the international trade process, from sourcing and supplier discovery through logistics quotation, booking and shipment execution.
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A central element of the proposed collaboration is the potential integration of DHL Global Forwarding’s Quotation & Booking capabilities into Accio.
If implemented, the integration would allow SMEs to obtain real-time freight forwarding quotes, compare available shipping options and book shipments through the AI platform. DHL said the capability would be the first in a planned suite of logistics services designed to automate business tasks and streamline international trade processes.
The companies are positioning the initiative around the needs of smaller businesses, which can face additional complexity when entering international markets, particularly around logistics requirements, trade procedures and regulations.
“SMEs are the backbone of the global economy, but many still face challenges navigating the complex rules, regulations, and trade requirements that come with international expansion,” said Katja Busch, chief commercial officer at DHL and head of DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation.
Busch said the collaboration would explore how technology could reduce the administrative burden associated with international expansion and allow businesses to focus more closely on growth.
Alibaba.com said Accio is designed as a plug-and-play, no-code AI platform for businesses, providing an AI-based digital workforce capable of supporting a range of operational activities.
The proposed DHL integration would extend that functionality into freight forwarding. Businesses could use Accio to obtain transport quotations, assess shipping alternatives and proceed with bookings without having to manage each step through separate logistics processes.
Kuo Zhang, president of Alibaba.com, said AI is making capabilities that previously required significant time, expertise and resources more accessible to SMEs.
The company sees the potential connection with DHL as a way to reduce barriers to cross-border commerce and help businesses move from sourcing and trade opportunities towards execution more quickly.
For DHL Global Forwarding, the initiative represents another step in the digitalisation of freight forwarding services. Tim Robertson, executive vice president of accelerated digitalization at DHL Global Forwarding, said customers increasingly expect logistics processes to be as seamless as other digital business activities.
He said the companies would explore how AI could provide faster access to information, improve transparency and make logistics processes more efficient.
The proposed integration is part of a wider push by DHL to apply AI to customer-facing logistics processes. Earlier this year, DHL Express introduced an AI-powered item identification capability that uses computer vision to generate customs-compliant descriptions from photographs of shipment items.
DHL Global Forwarding has also been expanding digital tools that give customers access to freight quotations, transport options and shipment information. Its myDHLi platform, for example, provides customers with real-time access to quotes, transport modes and shipment data, alongside a generative AI assistant.
The DHL-Alibaba.com agreement remains an MoU, meaning the companies are exploring the proposed integration rather than announcing a completed commercial deployment.
If implemented, the initiative could give SMEs a more integrated digital route from international sourcing and supplier discovery through freight selection and booking, bringing logistics further into the AI-enabled workflow for cross-border commerce.
