HOW AI IS HELPING DELIVER SMARTER SUPPLY CHAINS

WRITTEN BY: SEAN ASHCROFT

AIis playing an increasingly important role in the supply chain industry, allowing companies to optimise and streamline operations in many areas.

Predictive analytics, for example, helps companies anticipate demand for products and services, enabling them to make better decisions around inventory levels, production schedules, and delivery routes. Intelligent forecasting is also built on AI algorithms, which analyse data – including weather, economic trends, and consumer behaviour – to help businesses better plan their inventory.

Automation is another area of AI growth, with many supply chain processes, such as order processing, inventory management and logistics, benefitting from reduced staffing needs, alongside savings on time and costs. AI can also monitor the quality of products as they move through the supply chain, inspecting products for defects or anomalies.

The customer experience has also been enhanced, with AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants helping companies provide better customer service. In fact, there is a huge tech ecosystem built around the