AI is no longer experimental, but rather reshaping how supply chain businesses are prioritizing operational, staffing, and data-centric investments, according to the newly released 2025 Agility Index research study from Epicor and Nucleus Research.
For the study, Nucleus Research surveyed more than 1,000 supply chain professionals across regions including the US, Canada, the UK/Ireland, Southeast Asia, Australia/New Zealand, and the UAE.
"AI is becoming an essential tool in helping supply chain businesses anticipate and respond to inevitable change," said Kerrie Jordan, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Product at Epicor.
"We’re seeing organizations unlock the agility needed to lead through disruption by not just deploying AI but by building a digital foundation and workforce behind it," she stated.
From the study, more than 56% of supply chain businesses surveyed reported high AI readiness, with many scaling AI across operations and modernising their data systems to improve agility and reliability.
Within this group, more than 90% are actively creating or investing in AI-specific roles, suggesting that organizations already leveraging AI tools are also the most likely to invest in building dedicated AI talent pipelines.
Further, AI is enabling more thoughtful decision-making but not displacing human judgment. The most common roles for which companies are hiring include AI Logistics & Route Optimization Specialists (38.0 percent), Supply Chain AI Data Scientists (37.2 percent), and AI Automation Engineers (35.4 percent). Organizations running geopolitical what-if scenarios report higher levels of AI-related hiring.
Moreover, these roles aren’t confined to labs or pilot teams – they're embedded directly in planning, fulfillment, and logistics functions.
"What’s changing is how companies see AI, not as a replacement for people, but as a way to empower them," stated Jordan. "They’re hiring for expertise that brings context and adaptability to the data, which is where real agility lives," she added.
More companies are investing in platforms that connect and analyze operational data. These systems, adopted by just over half (50.6%) of all respondents, are now the most widely used data intelligence tools among digitally mature organizations.
Companies using them were 1.4 times more likely to have adopted AI applications. The results suggest that companies are reevaluating their planning, response, and day-to-day operations. Agility, once a stopgap measure, has evolved into a strategic capability.
Across all regions, companies are strengthening scenario planning and supply chain resilience in response to rising uncertainty.
In Southeast Asia, for example, 61% of respondents cited trade restrictions as their biggest risk, and 73% said they’re actively reworking sourcing strategies. Similar trends are unfolding globally, as companies utilize forecasting tools and talent to anticipate and prepare for disruption.
Expectations around ROI are also maturing, reflecting lessons learned from past technological deployments.
A majority of respondents now expect to see returns on their technology investments within six to 18 months. But, looking ahead, organizations cannot approach AI as a standalone technology project. Success will depend on organizational readiness, leadership engagement, and the ability to act on predictive insights.
"Investing in AI and data-centric platforms is changing how quickly companies can respond to disruption and optimise decisions," stated Jordan.
"As AI matures and time to value approaches zero, these companies will outpace competitors. They will be able to make decisions in minutes, not months, with systems that adapt as fast as the market shifts," she added.-TradeArabia News Service
