Automation is showing up everywhere in supply chain planning, but the winners aren’t the ones automating the most. They’re the ones choosing the right decisions to automate, bringing people along early, and using AI to build speed and confidence in planning. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special guest host Karin Bursa, CEO of NIRAKIO, welcome Noha Samara, Senior Director, Global Supply Chain at Gartner, to share key takeaways from the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver. Noha unpacks why AI is shifting from “side experiment” to a core part of planning’s operating model, and why the most successful organizations define a clear human-machine strategy instead of trying to “spread AI like peanut butter.” The conversation spotlights the “people side” of transformation: change management, capability-building, and involving planners early so AI is implemented with teams, not to them. The group also dives into end-to-end data and scenario-driven range planning, including how top performers extend those range discussions with suppliers, customers, and trading partners. They close by emphasizing agility through targeted automation, clarity on humans “in/on/off the loop,” and why leaders can’t afford to sit on the sidelines as the pace of disruption and innovation accelerates.…

In the world of supply chain management, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with the human workforce is revolutionizing the industry. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, sponsored by Microsoft, hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson welcome special guests Chiara Laudani and Florent Guillet-Caillot from The Estee Lauder Companies, to explore the importance of the human element in AI. Listen in as they highlight how people and technology can work together to drive innovation and efficiency. Chiara and Florent share their insights on leadership, how transparency and communication are vital in change management, and the need for agility and continuous learning to stay competitive. Join us and learn how the future of supply chain management lies in the seamless integration of AI and human talent, how investing in workforce training, talent, and internal and external collaboration will drive positive outcomes, and how leveraging artificial intelligence and human intelligence together will foster a strong, dynamic, and resilient industry.