In a world of constant disruption and exponential data growth, supply chain performance increasingly depends on how quickly leaders can detect change, decide with confidence, and convert decisions into coordinated action at scale.
Futurism often overpromises insight into distant futures while offering limited practical value for the real planning decisions supply chain leaders must make today.
Supplier volatility is just another risk that must be actively managed, and that means setting up processes to monitor all suppliers, not just those perceived to be most important.
Monday, March 2, 2026 · Dean Alms, chief product officer, Aravo
A review of 2025’s AI predictions shows that while agentic AI and automation advanced in supply chains, data readiness, governance gaps, and third-party risk oversight will determine whether organizations realize real AI ROI in 2026.
In an era of tariffs, geopolitical fragmentation, and macroeconomic volatility, supply chain leaders can create competitive advantage by distinguishing quantitative from qualitative shocks, controlling operational levers, and building resilient, partnership-driven networks…
Thursday, February 26, 2026 · Andrew Byer and Mike Dobslaw
“Bringing the outside in” means shifting supply chain planning and execution from internally driven metrics to real-time, market-based data such as POS, competitive activity, and external events to improve service, stability, and financial performance.
Demographic change, including aging populations, declining fertility, smaller households, and regional workforce fragmentation, is reshaping demand patterns, labor availability, and last-mile expectations, making demography a critical but overlooked strategic variable in…
Despite escalating U.S.–China tariffs and trade sanctions, China’s economy is expanding, global market diversification is accelerating, and rare earth dominance remains a strategic pressure point for American supply chains.
As AI accelerates both cyberattacks and defenses, supply chain leaders must shift from prevention-only strategies to resilience-driven models built on third-party visibility, governance, and rapid recovery.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 6–3 ruling striking down President Trump’s IEEPA tariffs reshapes the legal landscape of U.S. trade policy but leaves procurement leaders navigating refund complexities, contractual uncertainty, and the likelihood of alternative tariff actions.
Friday, February 20, 2026 · Mita Gupta, EVP and business unit head, WNS Procurement
CPOs can manage escalating tariff risk in 2026 by using category-level exposure mapping, total cost of ownership analysis, supplier segmentation, and AI-powered modeling to respond proportionally rather than reactively.
Agentic AI is transforming supply chain operations by moving beyond chatbot-style assistance to governed, ontology-backed execution systems that autonomously detect, decide, and act within defined guardrails.
The 2026 NextGen Supply Chain Conference is now accepting speaker submissions for its practitioner-led event in Nashville, inviting supply chain leaders to share real-world case studies focused on AI, automation, workforce transformation, and measurable operational impact.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 · Meghan O’Doherty, Senior Director Procurement Advisory, Gartner Supply Chain Practice
AI is transforming procurement by automating transactional sourcing work while creating entirely new AI-driven roles that require CPOs to rethink talent strategy, upskill teams, and redesign how procurement creates value.
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