Maersk: Expanding the Strategic Value of AI Beyond the Enterprise

Muhammad Asif Tanveer, Aman Ullah, Imran Ali, Madiha Latif

Product #:W50838

Supplier:Ivey

Discipline:General Management, Strategy

Setting:Australia, 2026

Details:Case (PDF) • 14 pages • 2026-08-27

Your Price:

$10.54

Purchase this material with a free Educator Account and enjoy more benefits:

Free Educator Copy
Free Teaching Notes
Build your coursepack
Discounted academic price

In May 2026, the chief executive officer of A.P. Moller – Maersk, was preparing for the executive board’s mid-year strategy review. Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, A.P. Moller – Maersk was the world’s leading integrated logistics company. It operated more than 700 vessels that served approximately 350 ports. The company, which employed over 100,000 people across 130 countries, positioned artificial intelligence (AI) as the central enabling technology across its entire portfolio. AI investments produced a demonstrable portfolio of results. It would be up to the executive board to determine the next steps for the 2026 AI cycle. There were four potential options for the future. The first option was to speed up the move toward “zero-touch logistics” within A.P. Moller – Maersk. Another option was to offer AI tools as an open platform for the industry. The third approach was for the company to expand closed-alliance initiatives. Finally, it could choose to push for ecosystem standardization by making targeted acquisitions. Each of the four potential pathways required different amounts of capital, talent, and management attention. Each option also presented risks to the company’s workforce, competitive edge, and overall strategy.

Learning Objectives

The case can be used in various business and management courses including general management, strategic management, human resource management, supply chain management, digital transformation, innovation management, technology management, information systems, leadership, and executive MBA courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

This case aims to help students move from focusing solely on internal AI improvements to consider broader ecosystem strategies and understand the differences among efficiency gains, platform value, alliance management, and standardization through acquisitions. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to:

analyze the potential of AI to change the way organizations function and add strategic value in complex and dynamic business environments.
evaluate various strategic choices for leveraging AI within and beyond organizational boundaries, including across broad organizational networks.
critically evaluate the organizational, governance, stakeholder, and risk implications of AI adoption as part of large-scale organizational transformation.
create a robust AI implementation framework that integrates the organization’s capabilities, stakeholder interests, resource needs, and long-term value creation.