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.…

Allen Jacques knows a thing or two about the world of life sciences and the various nuances that characterize the medical and pharmaceutical supply chains. Today, he serves as a Thought Leader at Kinaxis, a cloud-powered supply chain insight platform that combines human intelligence with AI and concurrent planning to help companies plan for the future, monitor risks and opportunities, and keep up with the speed of change. In this episode, sponsored by Microsoft, Allen sits down with hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson to offer his take on a range of trends, issues, opportunities, and challenges relating to supply chains, drawing on his experience from the biopharma world. Listen in and learn more about the complexities of the pharmaceutical industry- including manufacturing challenges, regulatory constraints, and how these contribute to lengthy lead times- and how technology is helping supply chain professionals within the sector. Allen highlights the evolution of various digital and AI-powered solutions in improving supply chain transparency and efficiency, and the value of data-driven decision-making, and also offers some sage advice for those seeking to advance their careers and develop leadership credentials. Want to hear what else Allen has to say? Tune into the full discussion…