KEY FACT
AI
CASE STUDY
KEY FACT
AI adoption is projected to surge from 28 % to 82 % by 2029
The future of AI in supply chains will likely be defined by increasing automation, intelligence and resilience as more companies employ more AI-confident leaders to drive this change forward.
Many leaders also feel agentic AI, capable of autonomous decisionmaking without continuous human oversight, will also become pivotal. In many cases they already are, as companies create their own agents to execute highly specific tasks such as route optimisation.
As the quality of data which AI learns from improves, its output will follow – bringing with it increased precision in both forecasting and visibility. This could mean supply chains evolving into more interconnected ecosystems – finally breaking down those silos the industry is always referencing.
In just a few years, AI-powered supply chains could be the norm, and will be instrumental in helping businesses navigate volatility and secure competitive advantage.
“ AI is making a significant impact in areas like predictive maintenance and quality control, helping us improve decision-making and operational resilience across the supply chain”
ROLAND BUSCH CEO, SIEMENS
Siemens is putting AI to work in its supply chain, with AI-driven demand planning and inventory optimisation. The company cuts down on manual planning, sharpens forecasts and spots cost-saving opportunities before they slip away. These tools even keep tabs on component availability in real time, so when disruption occurs, Siemens can quickly find alternatives and keep things moving smoothly.
164 September 2025