A new GS1 US study, “The Supply Chain Readiness Gap,” reveals that many organizations are investing in AI and automation faster than they are building the trusted, integrated data foundation needed to realize the full value of those investments. While nearly 60% of surveyed organizations have automated most supply chain processes or implemented artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, only 38% report centralized systems that collect and integrate data in real time. Meanwhile, 32% still rely on manually integrating data from multiple sources, creating bottlenecks that limit visibility, slow decision-making and hinder growth.
The findings point to a broader risk: technology investments can stall when the underlying data foundation is fragmented. Although organizations continue to invest in innovation, 41% say they can successfully pilot new technologies but struggle to scale them across their operations. Data fragmentation is among the most significant barriers to innovation, cited by 62% of respondents, second only to lack of funding (63%).
The research also provides a benchmark for organizations to assess their supply chain readiness and identify the capabilities needed to move from isolated technology investments to enterprise-wide scale. Based on capabilities across data integration, governance, automation, collaboration and standards adoption, respondents were grouped into three maturity tiers: 20% high maturity, 72% medium maturity and 8% low maturity.
High-maturity organizations distinguished themselves in several key areas:
- Data integration: Eighty-one percent reported centralized, real-time data integration, compared with 38% of all respondents.
- Data governance: Eighty-five percent reported a clear and actively executed governance strategy, compared with just 13% of low-maturity organizations.
- Partner collaboration: Almost 9 in 10 (89%) reported highly effective external collaboration, compared with 59% of the overall sample.
- Internal alignment: Seventy-eight percent reported strong internal alignment, compared with 50% of all respondents.
These capabilities are also associated with stronger business outcomes, reinforcing that data readiness is a business imperative, not simply an operational concern. High-maturity organizations are more likely to report easier regulatory compliance (60%), reduced costs (52%) and faster time to market (46%).
“Organizations today face increasing pressure to navigate regulatory requirements, supply chain disruptions and rapidly evolving customer expectations,” said Gena Morgan, vice president of global standards at GS1 US. “This research shows that technology alone is not enough. True supply chain readiness requires strong trading partner collaboration, trusted data and standards-based interoperability. Organizations that invest in these foundational capabilities are better positioned to turn innovation into meaningful business results, strengthen resilience and drive long-term value.”
Conducted by Redpoint for GS1 US, the research surveyed 500 supply chain professionals across grocery retail, foodservice, healthcare, apparel, general merchandise and consumer packaged goods. Maturity tiers were derived from multiple operational indicators rather than respondents’ direct assessments of their own maturity.
