Gartner: The top drivers for supply chain strategy are…
One factor stands out as an influencer on the direction of the supply chain.
More than half (51%) of global cross-industry supply chain executives identified changes of ways in working driven by enhancements in AI and agentic AI as an important driver for their supply chain strategy between now and 2027. Other top drivers (more than one response accepted) cited by respondents to the Gartner "Future of Supply Chain 2026" study included:
- Use of economic policy by governments as political tools (41%)
- Deglobalization or regionalization driven by geopolitical and economic tensions (38%)
- Evolving customer expectations that require supply chain adjustments (34%)
- Political instability and risk of conflict (28%)
- Economic downturn (23%)
Gartner surveyed 509 supply chain leaders globally across industries from July to October 2025. More than half (55%) of respondents expect that advancements in agentic AI will reduce the need to hire for entry-level positions, while 51% believe the technology will drive a shift to overall workforce reductions.
In addition, a substantial majority (86%) of respondents agree that adoption of agentic AI will require new processes for developing future talent pipelines.
[READ MORE: The top supply chain challenges include…]
High performers turn to agentic AI
Gartner’s survey analysis identified respondents from high-performing organizations that exceeded expectations in areas such as customer lead time, satisfaction, time to market, revenue growth, and sustainability goals over the past year. Gartner analysts also interviewed 15 supply chain leaders from companies with a consistent presence in the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 list.
These high-performing respondents’ adoption of agentic AI was significantly higher than other respondents across procurement, production, logistics, warehouse management, and planning. As a result, Gartner says the high-performing respondents were more likely to recognize that traditional talent processes will change, potentially reducing the need for traditional entry-level roles.
However, Gartner analysis indicates these respondents are prioritizing talent strategy reinvention rather than headcount reduction. Over the next two years, high-performing respondents plan to prioritize the following talent strategies:
Upskill talent for the AI era.
Use AI-enabled tools to optimize workforce planning and candidate engagement.
Increase automation and advanced technologies to improve efficiency and reduce reliance on manual labor
"The highest performing supply chain organizations are using AI to reinvent how work gets done and how talent is developed," said Marco Sandrone, VP analyst in Gartner’s supply chain practice. "They are not treating AI as a blunt instrument for headcount reduction. The priority for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) should be redesigning roles, skills, and workforce processes, so people and machines can create value together."
