Today on Supply Chain Now, we explore how supply chain leaders are balancing powerful new technologies with the human expertise required to make them work. Featuring insights from Jimmy Sebastian on FourKites’ AI platform Loft, and what it means for real-world operations. Welcome to The Buzz, powered by EasyPost! Hosts Scott Luton and Rick McDonald unpack the growing convergence of AI automation and workforce strategy across the supply chain landscape. From faster workflow deployment and operational agility to the evolving labor pipeline and the surge in returns fraud, this conversation highlights why success today depends on both smarter tools and stronger people strategies. The discussion emphasizes that digital transformation isn’t replacing humans, it’s redefining how organizations empower them. What you’ll learn by tuning in: How AI workflow platforms are accelerating implementation and operational responsiveness Why human capability building is just as critical as technology investment What Gen Z’s rising interest in skilled trades means for future workforce planning The increasing business impact of fraudulent returns and how technology can help combat it Practical ways leaders can align automation with talent strategy to build resilience If you’re a supply chain, operations, or technology leader trying to scale automation without losing the…

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special guest host Claudia Freed, President & CEO of EALGreen, welcome Chuck Johnston, Chief Strategy Officer at ReturnPro, for a deep dive into the “dark side” of supply chain: reverse logistics and returns management. They unpack why returns are a nearly trillion-dollar challenge in the U.S., how BORIS (buy online, return in store) strains store operations, and why many retailers still under-invest: leaders often can’t see the full cost across functions or make the ROI case for what’s treated as a cost center. Chuck shares how the space has evolved from yellow notepads to data-driven decisioning, highlighting intelligent algorithms that route items at the customer’s first return click, fraud mitigation with imaging and behavior signals, and how third-party innovation is compressing software build times. Claudia adds a nonprofit and circularity lens: donation channels, extended tax credits, and AI pilots (computer vision + MCP agents) that identify item condition and slotting in real time. Together, they explore where to start, why cross-functional “ambassadors” matter, and how partnerships across retailers, manufacturers, nonprofits, and 3PLs can turn returns from margin erosion into measurable value and social impact.   This episode is hosted by…