Peter Stangeland

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping supply chain operations. From improving demand forecasting and inventory management to increasing operational efficiency, organizations across industries are investing heavily in AI to gain a competitive edge. Yet many companies overlook a critical requirement for AI success: access to trusted, high-quality data shared across the supply chain ecosystem. Supply chains have always relied on collaboration among suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. In the AI era, that collaboration must become more intelligent. Organizations need timely, secure data exchange, both upstream and downstream, to provide AI systems with the information required to generate accurate insights and recommendations. When suppliers share real-time information about inventory levels, delivery schedules, and raw material quality, manufacturers can improve planning, reduce risk, and respond more quickly to disruptions. Likewise, when retailers share data about customer demand, inventory positions, and satisfaction levels, manufacturers can better align production and distribution with actual market needs. The result is a leaner, more agile, and more profitable supply chain. Despite these benefits, many organizations are still hesitant to share data. Concerns about security, intellectual property protection, competitive exposure, and integration complexity continue to create barriers. However, these challenges can be addressed through strong data governance, clear…

Special Guest Blog Post from Amazon Freight   For supply chains across the globe, goods in motion are promises in motion. When a palletised shipment is delayed or goes dark, the impact is felt not just in transport teams, but in customer service, inventory planning, and broader network performance. In a conversation, economist Dr. Rebecca Harding and Chris Roe, Managing Director of Amazon Freight, explored how technology and collaboration are changing the way freight networks operate. While their primary focus was freight, their insights map directly onto the resilience challenges supply chain leaders face every day.   Old pressures, new data In a study supported by Amazon Freight, every shipper surveyed agreed that technology is crucial to the freight industry’s resilience. While this isn’t a surprise, it’s an important reminder of the role that technology plays. Roe shared a key example where Amazon Freight connected a customer’s system to its own system. Visibility on the end-to-end movement went from essentially zero to a high level of coverage. Instead of discovering problems only when a shipment failed to arrive, the customer could now see disruptions as they emerged and act earlier. For supply chain teams, that move from partial, delayed information…