**U.S.:** A recent survey reveals strong agreement among supply chain executives on the necessity of AI for resilience, with 92% emphasising its importance. The study indicates differing risk perceptions and calls for a proactive logistics strategy to enhance operational reliability and capitalise on growth opportunities.
A recent survey conducted by LeanDNA and Wakefield Research has highlighted a strong consensus among U.S. supply chain executives and leaders regarding the pivotal role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing supply chain resilience. The survey engaged 100 C-level executives and an equal number of supply chain leaders, unveiling key insights into their perspectives and risk perceptions related to AI implementation and supply chain management.
The report reveals that a significant 92 per cent of executives and all surveyed supply chain leaders concur that insights driven by AI are vital for predicting and mitigating disruptions within the supply chain. Furthermore, a substantial majority—87 per cent of executives and 89 per cent of supply chain leaders—anticipate a positive return on investments made in AI and machine learning technologies within a timeframe of one to two years. Notably, 39 per cent of executives and 34 per cent of supply chain leaders expect these returns to materialise even sooner.
Andy Ellenthal, CEO of LeanDNA, commented on the findings, stating, “The C-suite and supply chain agree that supply chain professionals and business leaders expect gains from investing in AI tools, digital synchronization, and optimization. However, it also shows that they differ in what they are most concerned about if improvements are delayed.” He further emphasised the importance of aligning the two groups’ risk perceptions to foster faster growth.
The study indicated a disparity in optimism regarding the benefits of AI adoption, with executives being 60 per cent more likely than supply chain leaders to report having already observed positive returns on investment, or expecting to do so within six months (24 per cent compared to 15 per cent). This suggests that executives may be more motivated to advocate for quicker adoption of AI technologies within their organisations.
Beyond AI, supply chain leaders underscored other critical strategies for enhancing operational reliability, with 45 per cent pointing to the diversification of supplier bases, and 39 per cent highlighting the need for supply network synchronization and upgrades to data infrastructure. While both sectors—executives and supply chain leaders—expressed optimism about progress towards achieving full digital synchronization, only approximately 19 per cent of executives and 18 per cent of supply chain leaders reported having fully realised this goal.
The survey also revealed significant discrepancies in risk perception among the two groups. Executives prioritised the risk of production disruptions as their foremost concern (53 per cent), while supply chain leaders directed their focus towards multiple factors including inventory costs (53 per cent), reputational damage (53 per cent), and regulatory compliance (50 per cent).
To facilitate growth, the findings suggest that companies must evolve from a reactive approach to logistics planning to one that is proactive. More than three-quarters of both executives (77 per cent) and supply chain leaders (78 per cent) acknowledged that their organisations need to adopt a more proactive stance to capitalise on growth opportunities, with only a minority believing their current logistics strategies are adequate for impending challenges.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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