Alun Rafique

Special Guest Blog Post written by Karin Bursa, Founder and CEO of NIRAKIO and Supply Chain Now Host   Artificial intelligence is no longer a “what if” in supply chain — it is here. In fact, Gartner predicts that 50% of cross-functional supply chain management solutions will use intelligent agents to autonomously execute decisions in the ecosystem by 2030. But how do leaders move from hype to real impact? During our recent Supply Chain Now Power Panel, I asked five senior executives to share where they see AI making the biggest impact. Their answers revealed not just excitement, but a roadmap for how supply chains can evolve. Here is how they responded, in their own words. Q: Where do you see AI making the greatest impact in your supply chain? Eliza Simeonova – VP Global Supply, Mars Pet Nutrition “AI forces operational discipline. Clean data is no longer optional. The system itself demands it. I also see AI shaping supply chain synchronization — aligning suppliers, factories, warehouses, and customers in new ways.” Whitney Shlesinger – VP Global Planning & Logistics, McCormick “For me, it’s about people. Employees want to move beyond non-value-added work. AI allows us to free them up…

The first podcast available for download reportedly was Queen Elizabeth’s 2004 Christmas address. Apparently, people were hungry to download anything they could. Social media influencers, true crime aficionados, comedians, scholars, and business leaders all have stepped up to meet demand. There are now more than 4 million registered podcasts around the world – and more than 100 million listeners in the United States alone. And according to Edison Research, as of June 2024, podcasts occupied 9% of Americans’ total audio consumption time. “From podcast to podcast, thought leadership is everywhere, educating the masses in innovative ways,” Nancy Marshall – aka The PR Maven – wrote in a Forbes Council post. Supply chain-focused podcasts, in particular, have evolved into powerful platforms for building brand authority, sharing thought leadership, and achieving deeper audience engagement. The State of Supply Chain Podcasts in 2025 Podcasts today cover everything from the arts to zoology. In January, several of the top podcasts on Spotify were devoted to crime, self-help, and relationships. The Joe Rogan Experience, ranked No. 5, is categorized as a culture podcast. How I Built This, No. 9, is all about entrepreneurship. Notably, two-thirds of listeners say they hear news discussed on podcasts and…