This past year has been one of the most rewarding of my career. Together with Mark Hill and the incredible team at PCS, we set out to do something big — to bring true innovation back to the heart of this industry.
Our goal wasn’t just to modernize our technology. It was to reimagine how fleets work. And at our Customer Summits in Houston, Chicago, and California, I finally had the chance to share what we’ve built — and what’s next — with the people who inspired it.
Introducing Cortex AI to the World
Standing on stage in Houston to unveil Cortex AI was a moment I’ll never forget. For the first time, we showed how AI can live inside a TMS — not as a bolt-on tool, but as a built-in intelligence layer that helps fleets find profit in the work they already do.
We demonstrated three new Cortex-powered products that are now reshaping daily operations for our customers:
- Dispatch powered by Cortex — AI-driven driver and load recommendations that cut dispatch time from hours to minutes.
- Opportunity Manager — a smarter way to capture, score, and convert freight opportunities.
- Backhaul Booster — automated, AI-assisted backhaul matching and outreach to help fleets reduce empty miles.
But more than a product launch, it felt like a turning point — the moment where AI moved from concept to reality for our industry.
Conversations That Shaped the Future
Across every city, one conversation kept rising to the top: AI as the key to margin.
In Houston, Chicago, and California, our customers didn’t want buzzwords — they wanted to know how AI could help them find efficiency, automate busywork, and uncover new profit points in a market that hasn’t been easy for anyone.
The excitement was contagious. In Chicago especially, the energy was incredible — collaborative, curious, and forward-looking. Between sessions, fire dancers and magicians kept the celebration going, but the real magic was in the ideas shared and the optimism in the room.
How AI Is Transforming Us, Too
AI isn’t just transforming our customers’ businesses — it’s transforming ours.
At PCS, Cortex isn’t a side project or a feature; it’s reshaping how we build, how we listen, and how we deliver innovation. It’s changed how our teams work, how quickly we can execute, and how deeply we understand our customers’ needs.
Every product we’ve released this year — every improvement to Dispatch, every AI insight inside the TMS — is the result of collaboration between our customers and our team. The pace of innovation here has been extraordinary, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come in just one year.
A Shared Journey Ahead
These summits weren’t just events. They were a reflection of who we are — a community of people who love this industry, who believe in progress, and who know that technology is only as powerful as the people who use it.
To everyone who joined us in Houston, Chicago, and California — thank you. Your feedback, ideas, and excitement remind me why we do this work.
Together, we’re not just evolving the TMS. We’re building the intelligent foundation for the next generation of freight.
— Danielle Villegas
Chief Product Officer, PCS Software
See Cortex AI in Action
Learn how PCS is helping fleets move smarter, faster, and more profitably with built-in AI designed for real-world freight
See Cortex AI in Action
Learn how PCS is helping fleets move smarter, faster, and more profitably with built-in AI designed for real-world freight
