Posted 9/21/2023, 2:21:44 PM

UPS Rolls Out AI Tool to Combat Growing Porch Piracy Epidemic

Package theft or "porch piracy" is a growing problem, with 260 million packages stolen in the U.S. in 2022.
UPS has developed an AI tool called Delivery Defense that assigns a "delivery confidence score" to addresses to predict theft risk.
The tool will integrate with retailer software to allow them to recommend in-store pickup for high-risk addresses.
Other shipping companies like Amazon, FedEx, and DHL also have anti-theft measures like photo delivery confirmation.
Video doorbell cameras don't seem to deter most thieves. More effective prevention measures are signature requirements and secure package lockboxes.
UPS says its AI tool relies on a large dataset and focuses on delivery characteristics like apartment mailroom security, not individual data.
The UPS Delivery Defense API starts at $3,000/month, while a web version for small businesses starts at $99/month.

cnbc.com

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