Enterprises are turning to supply chain planning platforms in growing numbers as artificial intelligence reshapes how businesses forecast demand, manage risk and respond to disruption, according to new research from Information Services Group.
ISG’s 2026 buyer’s guides for supply chain planning assess 27 software vendors and their products, covering tools used by retail groups, midsize companies and sales and operations planning teams. The research says the software is beco...
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ming more important as organisations move away from periodic planning and towards continuous planning, in a bid to sharpen visibility across supply networks and improve responsiveness.
Bob Krohn, an ISG partner specialising in manufacturing, said the pressures on supply chains continue to change, even as the technology used to manage them evolves. He said companies still need to source materials and components efficiently and get products to market on time, but now have to do so with systems increasingly shaped by advanced algorithms and machine learning.
That shift is being pushed further by global supply chains that are longer, more complex and more exposed to disruption. ISG says newer platforms can process and combine information almost in real time, giving businesses the ability to make faster decisions and run planning as a continuous process rather than a one-off exercise.
Generative AI and AI agents are accelerating that change by speeding up analysis and cutting manual work. The report says modern supply chain planning software can now simulate the effects of changing conditions, allowing companies to build contingency plans around different scenarios. It also highlights the importance of coordination between sales, operations, procurement and other functions, since decisions in one area often affect the rest of the business.
AI is beginning to automate repetitive planning work and improve collaboration across departments, reducing the time needed to align supply with demand. Natural language interfaces may also make these systems easier to use, helping employees access information more quickly and spend less time gathering data before producing analysis.
ISG says the next stage is likely to involve event-driven recommendations that can prompt action before disruption affects performance. It expects most organisations to adopt AI gradually, starting with lower-risk planning tasks before moving into decision support and automation. Companies that invest in strong data capture, orchestration and governance will be better placed to take advantage of the technology, while providers will be judged on transparency, control and accountability as they build AI into planning workflows.
David Menninger, executive director and distinguished analyst at ISG, said companies that embed AI into supply chain planning should expect its impact on business results to grow throughout the rest of the decade. He added that even businesses with only moderately complex supply chains should begin mapping out how AI agents will fit into their planning processes.
ISG’s latest findings also fit a wider pattern of supply chain digitalisation seen in other markets. In Brazil, for example, a separate ISG report last year said companies were adopting GenAI and other digital tools to modernise planning, procurement and logistics, with a strong focus on agility, visibility and cost control.
Source: Noah Wire Services
