“The human is in charge; AI is the assist.”
This quote from John Pennypacker, Senior Vice President at Deep Cognition, perfectly captures Deep Cognition’s vision for the future of customs automation and brokerage.
For years, “WESCCON” has been the premier hub for customs brokers and freight forwarders across the Pacific Coast, drawing industry leaders to discuss the most pressing issues shaping international trade, compliance, and supply chain innovation. For “Deep Cognition”, a pioneer in applying artificial intelligence (AI) to customs automation and the brokerage ecosystem, “WESCCON” is more than a conference, it’s a valuable opportunity to reconnect with customers and prospects in-person, discuss where the industry is heading, and a platform to showcase how technology is helping elevate the industry.
Elevating the Role of the Customs Broker Through Automation
As Pennypacker, emphasized at “WESCCON” 2024, “The goal for us is to elevate the role of a customs broker. AI is to elevate the role, not eliminate the role.“
In an industry where efficiency, accuracy, and compliance dictate success, the customs broker plays a pivotal role in ensuring goods flow quickly across borders. Yet, the complexity of regulatory frameworks (and ever-changing complexity), coupled with a mixed outlook on shipment volumes, has strained traditional workflows and overburdened teams.
Deep Cognition’s mission is to leverage “AI-driven customs automation software solutions” that streamline processes, reduce manual data entry, enhance accuracy, and free brokers to focus on higher-value advisory and compliance work. Far from replacing human expertise, our customs automation tool acts as a co-pilot in automating repetitive tasks while the customs broker retains control over strategic decision-making.
Why WESCCON Matters to Deep Cognition
In a world where margins are shrinking and compliance demands are growing, scaling through efficiency is no longer optional, it’s essential.
At the same time, the global tariff environment is constantly evolving, with shifts in trade policy, retaliatory duties, and preferential agreements redefining how goods move across borders. These changes create a complex landscape where customs brokers must remain vigilant, ensuring accuracy and compliance while guiding clients through uncertainty.
This is exactly why WESCCON offers the perfect stage for Deep Cognition and others to engage customs brokers and freight forwarders in conversations about how AI-powered customs automation can drive growth while safeguarding compliance.
With tools like PaperEntry AI, brokers no longer have to be bogged down by repetitive, manual data entry. Instead, they can redirect their expertise towards navigating tariff changes, managing regulatory risks, and advising clients on strategic trade decisions.
By handling the heavy lifting of document processing and data capture, our customs automation platform frees up valuable time, allowing customs brokers to focus on what truly matters: compliance, client relationships, and staying ahead in a rapidly changing trade environment.
As John Pennypacker noted, “AI can be a growth vector for your company, driving productivity gains and reducing the need for additional headcount.”
What We’ll Be Discussing at WESCCON:
- Template-free extraction using Large Language Models (LLMs) and computer vision, so you can onboard new document layouts without building templates.Automated Commercial Invoice and Packing List reconciliation with intelligent exception handling through our advanced UI that allows seamless resolution of discrepancies.Exception handling with human-in-the-loop validation; you keep oversight while reducing rework through our intuitive customs automation interface.Native integration with CargoWise, Descartes, Mercury Gate, and Magaya plus modern APIs for seamless connectivity into your transportation management and ERP systems.
Deep Cognition is honored to support the event as a “Silver Sponsor”. If you are attending, we would love to connect with you in the Expo
Voices from Deep Cognition: Excitement for WESCCON 2025
At this year’s “WESCCON”, Deep Cognition will be represented by three dynamic attendees. Each brings a unique perspective on how AI-powered customs automation and human expertise intersect to transform customs brokerage.
Here’s what they had to say:
