Our colleague Jolan, principal at KORN CONSULT GROUP (KCG) with many years of consulting experience, shares her perspective on the use of AI in supply chain and how it can support smarter, more efficient operations.
For years, I have been following articles, conferences and professional discussions about the relationship between AI and supply chains. What most people are curious about is how our world will change and how many jobs might disappear.
There are professions, particularly in creative fields, where many people have already lost their jobs. The transformation has also reached procurement and logistics.
Yes, automation is reshaping warehouse operations, transportation planning, procurement analytics and administrative processes. Repetitive, rule-based and data-intensive tasks can now be performed faster and more accurately by machines.
But the truly exciting question is: what comes next? And should we be afraid of it?
No one can say for sure. What we see are directions, emerging solutions and new possibilities. We ourselves are working on several developments in this space.
Based on our experience so far, I would like to share a few examples of new types of roles and responsibilities we have encountered, some of which don’t even have a catchy name yet.
1. AI-Enabled Planners
Traditional planner roles, such as material planner, supply chain planner and production planner, are increasingly being consolidated and supported by AI.
This allows planning roles to evolve into end-to-end functions, supported by stronger decision-making authority and better data-driven insights.
2. Automation and Digital Process Leaders
As RPA (Robotic Process Automation), AI forecasting and autonomous systems continue to scale, organizations need professionals who don’t simply digitize existing processes.
Instead, they redesign them end-to-end, creating new, more efficient operating models.
3. Risk Strategists
AI can already predict many types of risks, such as raw material shortages, price increases or supply disruptions.
However, the impact of these risks varies across industries and companies. Customer-specific expectations, reporting requirements and internal decision criteria are often not public and cannot be fully captured by AI systems alone.
This is where human expertise becomes essential.
4. Strategic Procurement Professionals
Strategic procurement was among the first areas where the market demonstrated how effectively AI can support daily work.
Price comparisons can be completed in seconds and AI can even generate well-structured tenders.
However, negotiation strategy, relationship building and long-term value creation remain fundamentally human capabilities.
5. Human-Centered Change Leaders
I mention this last, but it may actually be the most important of all.
New technology alone does not create results. The leaders who will truly make the difference are those who can guide their organizations through transformation and build trust in AI-driven systems.
The real question is no longer: “Will AI take away supply chain jobs?”
The real question is: “Are we preparing ourselves for the next, higher-level version of our roles?”