Relex Solutions today released its 2026 report, “State of Supply Chain 2026: Volatility, Trade-Offs and the Rise of AI,” showing that AI is moving from experimentation to operational decision support across supply chain planning. Sixty-seven percent of retail and manufacturing leaders say their confidence in using AI for supply chain decision-making has increased compared with last year. At the same time, 54% prefer AI to make recommendations while humans finalize decisions, and only 10% say they would trust AI to make fully independent supply chain decisions. Meanwhile, 47% are using or planning AI-driven inventory and supply optimization, and 41% are applying AI to logistics and routing.
Organizations are increasing future investment in AI capabilities, with 71% planning to invest in generative and agentic AI and 60% in predictive AI over the next three to five years. These investments come as 44% of leaders cite consumer demand volatility as a top challenge over the next three years, reinforcing the need for more intelligent, responsive planning systems.
Retail: AI Supports Demand Agility
Retailers continue to feel the downstream effects of demand uncertainty. Thirty percent cite adapting to sudden consumer demand shifts as a major challenge, reinforcing the need for stronger demand visibility and more responsive planning processes.
To address this volatility, retail leaders are increasingly turning to AI-driven forecasting, inventory optimization and decision-support tools that allow them to respond quickly to changes in consumer behavior while protecting margins and availability.
Manufacturing: AI Stabilizes Procurement and Upstream Risk
Manufacturers face a different set of pressures. Fifty-seven percent say raw material procurement disruption is the most impacted area of their supply chain, while 34% cite regulatory and compliance pressures as a growing operational concern.
AI is increasingly being applied to connect demand signals with procurement and production decisions, helping manufacturers improve forecast accuracy, mitigate supplier risk and maintain flexibility in the face of ongoing material, regulatory and geopolitical volatility.
AI Becomes a Core Planning Capability
Across both sectors, the data points to a shift from reactive disruption response to technology-enabled planning. Organizations are concentrating investment in AI capabilities that improve forecasting accuracy, automate inventory decisions and support faster, more confident responses to change.
“AI is becoming part of everyday supply chain decision-making,” said Madhav Durbha, group vice president of manufacturing industry strategy at Relex Solutions. “As volatility persists, companies are investing in AI-driven forecasting, optimization and decision support to respond faster and operate with greater confidence, even when conditions change quickly.”
The report also finds that sustainability has shifted from aspiration to operational constraint. Sixty-three percent say the importance of sustainability in their supply chain strategy has increased, while 34% of manufacturers cite regulations and compliance as a source of disruption. Companies are adapting to a more uncertain operating environment by strengthening AI-enabled planning capabilities rather than relying solely on buffers or reactive measures.
