APQC Infographic: With AI comes the need for Employee Learning

Artificial intelligence (or AI) has the potential to assist with multiple aspects of the supply chain, such as creating self-adjusting supply chain plans or self-optimizing manufacturing processes. In fact, AI is one of the top trends anticipated to impact supply chains by 2023. Supply chain organizations are adopting AI, albeit gradually. Currently, about half of 1,000 organizations in APQC’s research have not even piloted the technology. Among those that have adopted it, only 13 percent have been using it for more than two years.

Read the related feature article in the July 2021 issue of SCMR.

New Supply Chain Skills

With AI automating many tasks previously done by staff, supply chain professionals need to develop new skills so they can take on different responsibilities. Many of the top skills needed in supply chain focus on relationship building or are “deep work” skills requiring sustained periods of concentration.

Smart companies know that a change in the skills needed by supply chain employees means that businesses must invest in employee learning. Many organizations are making that commitment. At the median, they are investing 7 days of learning per employee. In addition, AI has accounted for a 30% change in learning budgets at the median. The importance of AI to the supply chain will only increase in the coming years, so companies must take steps now to prepare their workforce. To avoid talent shortages that can be detrimental to the business, organizations must allocate budget and time to employee skill development and enhancement.

View the full size infographic PDF here.

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