Supply chains as they exist today will struggle to maintain their effectiveness over the next two years. The supply chain landscape is being reshaped by forces that demand swift and strategic responses from chief supply chain officers (CSCOs). These supply chain reshapers — advancements in artificial intelligence, geopolitical instability and conflict risk, and evolving customer expectations — will fundamentally alter how organizations operate and compete in the future.
Some supply chain organizations are moving faster than others toward a competitive future state. What differentiates the leaders is how they respond to the forces reshaping supply chain. Leaders don’t wait for certainty to adapt to change; they actively influence the future and proactively rethink their ways of working. Among those that view AI-driven changes to work as a top driver of supply chain transformation, 81% of leaders are confident or very confident in their ability to address the impact of changes, while only 54% of the rest of respondents report the same.
The future of the supply chain is already here. Leaders are choosing where and how they will accelerate toward this new reality, offering a blueprint for others to follow. Gartner has identified three critical areas for CSCOs to focus on in 2026 to ensure their supply chains are future-fit.
