Artificial Intelligence (AI) can bring substantial improvements to warehousing and distribution in supply chain management. Here are several ways how:

1. Inventory Management: AI can analyze sales and inventory data to predict future demand patterns, helping to optimize stock levels and reduce inventory costs. AI can also monitor stock in real-time and automatically re-order items when they reach a certain threshold.
2. Warehouse Automation: AI-powered robots can perform various tasks such as picking, packing, and sorting more efficiently than humans, thereby increasing productivity and reducing errors. Robots can work 24/7 without fatigue, helping to improve output and delivery times.
3. Warehouse Layout Optimization: AI can analyze warehouse operations data to suggest changes in layout, shelving, and routing paths that can minimize retrieval times and improve overall efficiency.
4. Order Fulfillment: AI can streamline the order fulfillment process by automatically assigning orders to workers or robots based on factors such as order priority, location of items in the warehouse, and worker or robot availability.
5. Predictive Maintenance: AI can predict when warehouse equipment is likely to fail based on usage data and patterns, allowing for preventative maintenance that can reduce downtime and repair costs.
6. Last-Mile Delivery: AI can optimize delivery routes considering various factors like traffic, weather, and delivery windows, making last-mile delivery more efficient. Drones or autonomous vehicles powered by AI could also be used for last-mile delivery in the future.
7. Customer Service: AI chatbots can provide real-time tracking updates to customers and handle basic customer inquiries, freeing up customer service staff for more complex queries.

By leveraging AI, businesses can make their warehousing and distribution operations more efficient, flexible, and responsive, improving customer service and reducing costs.