Top 5 AI Use Cases for Supply Chain Optimization

Digital transformation in supply chains will lead us to a future where robots and automation measures will become the norm in the logistics industry. No more worrying about replenishing stocks just in time or spending resources on manual tasks that you can easily automate. By 2026, more than 75% of commercial supply chain management application vendors will deliver embedded advanced analytics, AI, and data science. As automation, virtual assistance, and facial recognition technologies enhance customer experience, businesses need precise customer analytics. So, the use of AI in the supply chain is becoming necessary to increase customer engagement. To digitize its warehouse, Ocado developed most of its solutions with in-house development teams.

Hence, predictability of volatile order volumes is a challenge for many companies. But, AI and ML give freedom to predict the volatile nature of the customer behavior much earlier at optimal level during such situations. This way, you can avoid time waste and reduce manual error to invest more resources for business improvement. In this demo we will show how Irida Labs is providing real-world edge vision solutions, while addressing issues in indoor and industrial applications like enabling smart tracking for the supply chain and Industry 4.0.

What are the Benefits of AI in the Supply Chain?

Demand Forecasting enables efficiency across the supply chain – from procurement to delivery. A robust demand forecasting model will leverage not only a merchant’s own historical sales data but will also include industry-wide trends, weather patterns, and promotional calendars. With the ever increasing volume of cloud and AI algorithm intelligence, supply chain is on the verge of digital representation. But, if you are really keen to render a real-world platform and predict business challenges, AI can boost your operational goal. With AI driven decision making, business can gain unprecedented speed and scale its business amid the continuous market shifts. We at synergylabs take care of your priority and do exactly what fits your domain.

• These rules, combined with the data coming from Mendix, were used by the model to calculate the shortest throughput time.
• This helps unearth real cause of charge back while reducing disputes among peers.
• By 2026, more than 75% of commercial supply chain management application vendors will deliver embedded advanced analytics, AI, and data science.
• These machine learning models are adept at identifying hidden patterns in historical demand data.
• To learn more about how AI and other technologies can help improve supply chain sustainability, check out this quick read.
• The government and social sector are using artificial intelligence to predict service needs and map usage patterns.

Supply and demand planning goes well beyond the retail and manufacturing industries. Many small to mid-sized businesses work with small data sets or may not have enough historical sales data to create an accurate demand forecast or scenario. On-time Delivery Predictions help merchants get in front of communications with their customers to let them know when a delivery is at risk of being delayed. Today’s consumers have high expectations for tracking and delivery updates, and transparency is key to building trust and creating an excellent customer experience.

End-to-end transaction visibility

Can harness real-time data from external resources such as industrial production, weather, and employment history. With all the accumulated data, you can better gauge the market conditions and assess upcoming demands for stable growth. Therefore, to manage the complexity of the modern supply chain, your business needs to embrace these smartly designed solutions aligned with your everyday needs. And how modern supply chain management brings the workforce, machines, and software into action. The next wave of the two most prominent technologies artificial intelligence and data analytics, is already making a hit. Where several industries are still pulling doors to overcome the post-pandemic effects, there are a few industries that took the opportunity to adopt these modern technologies at a large scale.

AI in the supply chain gives you a better sense of how much space you need for storage, how long it will take to move items through your supply chain, and what kind of equipment you need to keep things running smoothly. With organizations driving revenues through AI implementation across the board, including the supply chain, there is more interest in AI in supply chain use cases. However, there is consensus that emerging and mature supply chain technology gives a competitive edge with a high ROI on investments guaranteed. To better manage their inventories, reduce delays, and offer better customer service.

Computer vision in supply chains

Generally, there are many inventory related variables like order processing, picking and packing, and this can become very time-consuming with a high tendency for error. Also, accurate inventory management can help in preventing overstocking, inadequate stock and unexpected stock-outs. According to Gartner, supply chain organizations expect the level of machine automation in their supply chain processes to double in the next five years.

The earlier companies begin planning, the sooner they can start reaping the rewards of ML. With the complex network of supply chains that exist today, it is critical for manufacturers to get complete visibility of the entire supply value chain, with minimal effort. Having a cognitive AI-driven automated platform offers a single virtualized data layer to reveal the cause and effect, to eliminate bottleneck operations, and pick opportunities for improvement. From customer service to the warehouse, automated intelligent operations can work error-free for a longer duration, reducing the number of errors and workplace incidents.

Enhanced supplier relationship management

This algorithm will inform you about possible delays so that you can take proactive action. All international supply chain owners want to increase transparency by tracking ocean freight in real-time—especially those who transport food and need to control the temperature in the transportation unit. Let’s take a quick look at the benefits you will get after implementing artificial intelligence in your supply chain. In a previous article, we talked about AI in the logistics and transportation business. At the end of this article, you’ll find tips for AI implementation, understandable even for a non-tech person. To learn more about how AI and other technologies can help improve supply chain sustainability, check out this quick read.

F|AIR works both on-premise and in the cloud to suit the existing supply chain ecosystem. You also can integrate F|AIR API into your system with help from a dedicated development team. As a result, most of the food waste occurs at the end of the supply chain during product distribution and consumption. Roughly one-third of the food produced around the globe gets lost or wasted every year, according to this United Nations report.

Shop Floor to Top Floor: Strengthening the Digital Thread for More Agile Supply Chains

Machine learning in supply chain with its models, techniques and forecasting features can also solve the problem of both under or overstocking and completely transform your warehouse management for the better. Logistics hubs usually conduct manual quality inspections to inspect containers or packages for any kind of AI Use Cases for Supply Chain Optimization damage during transit. The growth of artificial intelligence and machine learning have increased the scope of automating quality inspections in the supply chain lifecycle. Inventory management is extremely crucial for supply chain management as it allows enterprises to deal and adjust for any unexpected shortages.

Warehouse robots provide greater speed and accuracy, achieving higher levels of productivity. United States Cold Storage , one of the largest cold chain companies in warehousing & logistics, saved $1.2 Million in operations. They installed an Intelligent Appointment Scheduler in 26 warehouses to automate the truck appointment process.

Real-time Supply Chain Management in Industry 4.0 using a network of vision sensors and AI. Then Lenovo took it further, heavily leveraging IBM Supply Chain Insights to help drive its incremental revenues. Ultimately, it resulted in a dramatic reduction in the time Lenovo lost due to supply chain disruptions, driving down that time from days to minutes – often up to 90% faster. Artificial intelligence may also be used to identify the condition of equipment to address wear and tear before it leads to a breakdown. Maintenance is carried out at optimal stages rather than following a timetable that may be written without any insight into when and how a piece of equipment is going to break down. Upgrade to a Plus level membership and take advantage of additional benefits and savings with discounts on all your certifications.