DHL Express has introduced an AI-powered item identification tool that uses customer photos to generate customs-compliant shipment descriptions, which it says is a first for a live international express booking system.
The feature is now live in eight countries, including South Africa.
The tool allows customers to photograph an item using a smartphone or connected device. The image is processed through a server-side computer vision model, which classifies the item and produces a structured description aligned with international customs documentation requirements. The suggested description is presented to the customer for review and can be edited or overridden before the shipment is submitted. No DHL Express account is required.
“This deployment marks a significant step forward in applied AI within logistics, representing the first time item identification has been seamlessly integrated into a live, customer-facing international express booking flow at scale,” said DHL Express EVP and Global CIO, Dirk Olufs.
“Accurate item classification at the point of data entry means cleaner data across the entire shipment lifecycle: fewer holds, faster clearance and a better outcome for the customer.”
In addition to South Africa, the feature is now live in Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. DHL said further roll-out was planned during 2026.
