TAKEAWAYS
PREPPING FOR CHANGE Which of the following strategic priorities have grown in importance for your organization due to the level of change experienced throughout your organization?
Expecting constant change throughout 2026, supply chain leaders are doubling down on AI and talent to build resilience, finds new research from Accenture. The firm’s latest Pulse of Change report surveyed 3,650 global C-suite leaders, including chief supply chain and operations officers. While three-quarters (76%) of global supply chain executives anticipate continued higher levels of change and disruption in 2026, their preparedness varies. They feel most prepared for technological (51%) and talent-related (45%) disruptions, but readiness drops for economic (42%), geopolitical (38%), and environmental (34%) issues. One-third of supply chain leaders name building resilience as their top strategic priority, and most are doing it intrinsically, the report finds: Nearly seven out of ten (69%) are boosting AI and digital tools, almost six out of ten (59%) are adapting resources to market shifts, and more than half (58%) are improving forecasting and risk management, all core foundations of resilient supply chains. Here are some key data points ( find additional highlights at left ): • 85% of supply chain executives plan to increase AI spending, with one in five expecting to do so above 20%. • 30% are testing AI agents, 24% are deploying them, and 21% are building them into enterprise AI strategies. • 71% of leaders are focused on achieving more market independence enabled by AI, while 66% are seeking quicker decision- making autonomy. • 23% cite poor data quality and 21% weak integration with business strategy as top challenges.
Investing in digital tools such as AI and other technologies
71%
53%
Improving forecasting, scenario planning, and risk management
62%
58%
Adapting resources to evolving market changes and customer priorities/evolving changes
55%
62%
Increasing supply chain resilience
29%
45%
Accelerating cost optimization efforts
28%
44%
Adapting workforce to a new environment
26%
36%
January 2026 Summer 2025
Investing in domestic/local production
29%
Source: Accenture
February 2026 • Inbound Logistics 15
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