Talking Supply Chain: AI-driven planning enters a new phase

AI may be reshaping every corner of the supply chain, but nowhere is the shift more profound—or misunderstood—than in planning. In this week’s Talking Supply Chain, Gartner Director Analyst Jan Snoeckx explains why autonomous and agentic AI are no longer abstract promises but practical capabilities gaining traction inside large enterprises. Gartner’s latest research shows that autonomous planning has officially passed the “peak of inflated expectations,” moving out of hype and into measurable value. That shift, Snoeckx notes, reflects a deeper mindset change: companies aren’t asking if AI can help planners anymore; they’re asking how it should.

What’s driving that acceleration is the convergence of cloud computing, hyperscale processing, and new AI forms—especially machine learning and large language models—that allow planning systems to predict, sense, and respond to volatility with greater speed and accuracy. Snoeckx points to the rise of touchless forecasting, where baseline demand plans are generated automatically through machine learning instead of manual statistical tuning. By stripping out the historical “fiddling,” AI frees planners from low-value manipulation and creates space to incorporate richer market intelligence and external data signals. But he’s quick to clarify: this isn’t about removing humans. Instead, planners shift from correcting system outputs to shaping AI agent goals, calibrating decision models, and engaging more deeply with the business.

Listen to the full episode.

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