Call me skeptical, but I am not sold on the whole artificial intelligence (AI) phenomenon. I get the impression I am in the minority. Everywhere I look it seems like another company or organization is jumping on the AI bandwagon. Take UPS. The package delivery giant recently released a new AI system designed to cut down on porch piracy.
Does the secret to stopping porch piracy lie in AI? Probably not. And in fact, the tool on offer really only diverts vulnerable packages to less vulnerable delivery locations. The crime of porch piracy will continue regardless of the number of customers who take advantage of it.
UPS’ DeliveryDefense Tool
UPS’ new tool is known as DeliveryDefense. More than anything else, it is an AI-powered software system that crunches a ton of data in hopes of identifying packages that are more likely to be stolen. According to the UPS website, the software considers, among other things:
- Delivery location.
- Loss frequency.
- Returns volume.
- Delivery attempts.
By crunching the data, DeliveryDefense can identify packages and delivery locations that are more vulnerable. Upon identification, shippers and customers can choose to reroute deliveries to a safer package pickup point. I am guessing this usually means a UPS store.
UPS says that only about 2% of all the addresses they ship to are considered “low confidence”. Yet that small number accounts for about 30% of their customers’ losses. Eliminating those losses simply by rerouting vulnerable packages to more secure pickup points could make a huge dent in the number of thefts UPS customers report.
No Package, No Theft
The idea behind DeliveryDefense is a sound one. If packages are not left on vulnerable porches and stoops, there are no packages for porch pirates to steal. It doesn’t get any simpler than that. However, the system has an inherent weakness: a lack of convenience.
One of the biggest incentives to shop online is the convenience of home delivery. I’m not afraid to say that I would rather shop from the comfort of my own home and wait for the delivery driver to arrive. I do not have to drive to the store, fight with crowds, or wait in line while cashiers do their best to be as slow as possible.
If I need to divert all of my packages to a UPS store or a package locker location, that means I still have to get in the car and drive to get my stuff. Right now, the closest delivery location is about 20 minutes from my house, with no traffic. Throw in traffic and it could take twice as long. I would rather drive two minutes to the local big box store than need to retrieve my packages from a pickup location.
The Same Principle Implemented in Other Ways
I get why UPS developed and launched DeliveryDefense. It was in their best interest to do so. Not only that, I applaud them for coming up with their system. But relying on that system is no different than relying on the local police to prevent my home from being burglarized. Burglary prevention is not their responsibility. It’s mine.
You and I can accomplish the exact same thing UPS is doing with DeliveryDefense. We could talk with our neighbors and arrange for packages to be delivered to people who are home when we are not. We can install package safes on our front porches, safes that allow delivery drivers to lock packages away upon delivery.
There are plenty of things you and I can do to prevent porch piracy. The UPS solution is attractive because it is easy. It does not require anything on our part other than driving to a pickup location to retrieve packages. And if that is how someone prefers to handle porch piracy, I’m fine with that. It is just not my cup of tea.
The Artificial Intelligence Angle
Delivery location aside, I cannot help but think that UPS pitching the AI angle is more marketing than anything else. Their system analyzes security risks based on existing data. No doubt the software does an impressive job of crunching the numbers. But there really isn’t anything intelligent about what it does. That’s the dirty little secret with AI.
Touting DeliveryDefense as an AI solution taps into a hot trend. Consumers are very interested in AI to the extent that some will buy things just because the AI moniker is attached to them. Once again, I applaud UPS for knowing their customers well enough to market effectively. But AI is more of a selling point than an actual feature most of the time.
My Porch Piracy Strategies
There may be some point in the future when I need UPS DeliveryDefense. For now, though, it is not even on my radar. I utilize more traditional methods to thwart porch pirates. The two that I rely on most heavily are:
- Timed Delivery – Whenever I have the opportunity, I request delivery on a day I know I will be home. This covers about 90% of all my packages. Rare is the occasion that I am not home when a delivery driver shows up.
- Neighbor Retrieval – When I know I cannot be home to accept a delivery, I usually ask one of my neighbors to retrieve my packages for me. I wait for a delivery message to arrive, then text my neighbor. My packages are retrieved and held safely until I get home.
I have often considered Vivint Smart Home’s suggestion of installing a video doorbell. That may be on the menu this year. I like the idea of a doorbell with onboard video and audio. It could help with more than just porch piracy.
UPS has lost a new AI tool to fight porch piracy. It is likely to be a good tool for those who choose to use it. But from my perspective, the secret to stopping porch piracy does not lie in AI. It lies in my willingness to deprive porch pirates of the opportunity to steal from me.