The AI hype cycle is over. The scaling race has begun. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton welcomes special guest co-host Marina Mayer, Content Director of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Co-Founder of the Women in Supply Chain Forum, for a wide-ranging conversation on how AI is actually reshaping global supply chains, manufacturing, and the workforce behind them. Marina unpacks data showing the AI in logistics and supply chain market is set to grow from just over $20 billion to nearly $196 billion by 2034, and explains why the real driver isn’t AI adoption itself but companies learning to target it to the specific parts of the business where it belongs. From there, the two dig into a 2026 AI Skills Enterprise Benchmark from Workera, revealing that manufacturers committed to structured upskilling are hitting 79% workforce readiness scores, and why employee confidence, not just capability, is the missing piece in so many transformation efforts. The conversation builds into how KPMG research shows 73% of businesses are now planning a comprehensive overhaul of their supply chain operating model within the next three years, up from just 11% a year prior, and what that…

From rising diesel prices and geopolitical instability to new defense sourcing requirements and rapid advances in artificial intelligence, procurement and supply chain leaders are navigating a business environment where the traditional playbook no longer works. In this episode of The Buzz, Scott Luton and Allison Giddens welcome James Meads, founder of Entrepreneurial Procurement, for a timely discussion on the forces reshaping procurement and global supply chains. The conversation explores major investments in domestic manufacturing, the growing tension between lean inventory and supply chain resilience, and the ripple effects of diesel shortages and commodity inflation. The panel also examines new Pentagon sourcing and traceability policies, including the challenges of reducing dependence on critical materials from countries such as China and Russia. James explains why procurement teams must move beyond a process-driven, support-function mindset and begin operating more like entrepreneurial business partners. He also shares practical AI applications that can eliminate repetitive work, improve research, and help procurement professionals focus on higher-value decisions without automating broken processes or relying on poor data. Key Takeaways Why companies such as GE Aerospace and General Motors are investing heavily in domestic production, supplier resilience, and access to critical components How geopolitical instability is forcing businesses…