In this episode of The Buzz, powered by APL Logistics, Scott Luton and Kim Reuter are joined by Edmund Zagorin, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Arkestro, for a timely conversation on the latest supply chain and business news shaping the second half of 2026. From U.S. manufacturing trends and Prime Day consumer behavior to AI’s growing role in sourcing and supplier management, this episode explores how procurement is evolving from a cost-focused function into a strategic driver of resilience, speed, and value. Edmund shares practical insight into predictive procurement, why supplier relationships still matter in an AI-powered world, and how procurement leaders can prepare their teams for the future. Key Takeaways AI can support procurement teams, but humans still need to lead relationship-driven decisions. Predictive procurement helps teams move from reactive buying to proactive supplier engagement. Speed is becoming a major competitive advantage in uncertain supply chain environments. Supplier relationships, long-term agreements, and guaranteed access are becoming more important than lowest cost. Procurement teams must rethink how success is measured, moving from compliance to value creation. Culture, people, and execution remain critical, even as technology continues to advance. Tune in to hear how supply chain and procurement leaders can…

In the latest episode of the Digital Asset Innovators series on Digital Transformers, host Kevin L. Jackson interviews Alan Seid, a digital asset visionary from Palau. Seid discusses the underutilized value of sovereignty in small nations and how it can be leveraged through blockchain and digital assets for environmental protection, economic growth, and education. He shares his firsthand experiences with climate change and its impact on the island’s ecosystem, including rising tides, coral bleaching, and crop destruction. Seid suggests using blockchain technology to document these changes and make them visible and accountable to larger countries and companies. He also highlights the issue of plastic waste in the Pacific and hopes that digital assets can help find solutions to clean up the oceans. Listen in to hear how Seid expresses his appreciation for the National DigiFoundry and its resources, and his hope to bring together the islands with these resources to address climate issues and educate people about the value of technology and blockchain.