🧠 Yes, You Can Use Free AI Models with Your Own Logistics Data — Here’s Why That Matters

In one of the last editions of Last Mile Technology, I wrote about the commercial availability of powerful open-source AI models like DeepSeek, which are free to use—even for business.

Since then, many of you have reached out with a similar question: “This sounds promising, but is it really possible to use these models with our own data?”

The short answer: Yes, absolutely.

And this edition is about helping you understand how and why this is a game-changer for the logistics and last mile industry.

🤔 What Makes These Models So Special?

Models like DeepSeek, Mistral, or LLaMA are called LLMs (Large Language Models). They’ve been trained on massive volumes of data—everything from books and articles to websites—so they already “know” a lot about language, patterns, and logic.

But they don’t know your business. They don’t know your delivery zones, your customer preferences, or your internal procedures.

That’s where the magic happens: You can combine these models with your own data, and get a system that understands your business needs—without having to build AI from scratch.

💡 What Does “Using It with Your Own Data” Actually Mean?

It means you can give the model context—delivery logs, customer feedback, service policies, etc.—and it will start answering questions, summarising insights, or even helping you make predictions based on that information.

Think of it like hiring an employee who’s incredibly fast at reading, organising, and generating ideas—then giving them your internal documents and asking for answers.

For example:

• A support team can ask: “What’s the best way to explain late delivery in this area?”

• A manager might say: “Summarise this week’s missed delivery trends.”

• Or the model could help create better FAQs or auto-replies based on what your customers are really asking.

🚀 Why This Is a Big Deal for Logistics

In an industry where margins are tight, customer expectations are rising, and manual processes still dominate large parts of the operation, the ability to plug powerful AI into your own data—for free—is a turning point.

It enables:

• Faster decisions without new software

• Smarter communication with customers

• More agile operations, tuned to your reality

• And most importantly, experimentation without high risk or cost

✅ This Is No Longer Just for Big Tech

Even a small courier or logistics team can start using this kind of AI. The technology has matured. The tools are accessible. And the possibilities are wide open.

The only thing you need is:

• A clear idea of where AI could help (e.g. customer service, reporting, risk analysis)

• Basic access to your internal data

• And the willingness to test, explore, and iterate

If you're wondering whether this approach could work in your business—or you're already experimenting with it—let's talk. 📬 connect with me on LinkedIn Greg Urban . I’d love to hear your ideas.