India, Sep 07: Vserve, a global e-commerce expert and provider of AI-powered supply chain and e-commerce operations through AI-enabled solutions, has released its State of AI in Supply Chain Report 2026. It analyzes the adoption of artificial intelligence technology in the different supply chain processes and how organizations should act in order to make AI produce results. The issues that are addressed in the report include: demand planning, procurement, supplier management, inventory management, and logistics.
Deloitte’s report of 2025 identified the lack of connection between AI investment and measurable results. According to Deloitte’s research, 85% of firms had increased their AI investment in the previous 12 months, while 91% claimed that they planned to increase their investment in AI in the future. It was also indicated by the same research that it usually takes 2-4 years for a company to achieve some reasonable ROI from its AI implementation.
Supply chains are also emerging as major adopters of AI. Gartner found that generative AI was being deployed by 72% of supply chain organizations. At the same time, Gartner’s research also found that only 23% of supply chain organizations had a formal AI strategy.
“AI adoption in supply chains is moving quickly, but adoption alone does not create business value. The real opportunity lies in connecting AI with the operational processes where decisions are made every day. Organizations need reliable data, clear use cases and the ability to move from an AI recommendation to an operational action. That is where measurable value begins.” said Siva Balakrishnan, CEO, Vserve Solution.
The study reveals the dangers that might arise from implementing AI on a project basis and the requirement of making investments systematically. The report has listed four key areas for organizations who want to implement AI on a larger scale: improving data quality, identifying business cases for AI, linking systems and processes, and measuring outcomes. It also examines the application of AI across supplier management, sourcing, demand planning and inventory management.
The State of AI in Supply Chain Report 2026 concludes that successful AI adoption will depend on how effectively organizations align technology with operational priorities. Rather than treating AI as a standalone technology initiative, businesses will need to integrate it into existing processes while combining machine led insights with human expertise.