AI (Artificial Intelligence) has the potential to drastically change the way you can manage your supply chain. With the help of AI, you can make better predictions about your products, optimize your stocks and execute operations more efficiently.

At Tradecloud, we are developing our AI ‘Syracus’ for two applications:

  • Risk analysis: detect and prevent supply chain disruptions
  • Purchase automation: automating the manual purchasing process.

In this blog, we discuss how AI can be leveraged to improve your supply chain management.

Risk Analysis

AI has a huge potential in automated risk analysis in supply chains. Using AI and Machine Learning, we can efficiently identify and manage risks, making it much easier to anticipate unexpected events such as delays, quality issues, changing demand or political instabilities. This is because AI is much more efficient in aggregating, analysing and interpreting various data sources than traditional algorithms, especially with the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-4.

We can get more insight and better transparency in our supply chain, by using AI to combine historical data with real-time data, including external data sources like weather predictions or political developments. Using pattern recognition through Machine Learning, this can help us to identify anomalies in an early stage, proactively manage potential issues and reduce the “bullwhip” effect in our supply chain.


Automated purchasing

AI can also be used for automated purchasing, where it can be leveraged for automated communications, information gathering and decision making.

Traditionally, purchasing involves requesting and assessing offers, negotiating prices and deciding how much should be purchased. This can be a time-consuming and error-prone process which easily leads to inefficiencies or increased costs.

Using AI, you can automate and optimize this process. This is because AI and Machine Learning tools are efficient taking all relevant data into account when making decisions during this process. By combining both historical and real time data about demand, stocks and prices, AI tools can make better-informed decisions about what to buy, when and at which price.

Another example of purchase automation is by using AI chatbots. Chatbots use LLMs to automate parts of the communications with your suppliers, automating the time-consuming process of checking availability, prices and expected delivery times among numerous suppliers.

Lastly, AI can also be used internally to optimize the purchasing process. By analyzing purchase data with Machine Learning, AI can identify patterns and recommend purchases that will streamline your purchase process.

Read more about this in our AI case study: Workflow automation with Tradecloud One

Demand prediction & stock optimization

Using predictive analysis based on Machine Learning, we can calculate the probability of particular future events. Based on historical data, seasonal patterns and other data sources, AI can support us in predicting our demand, anticipate planning and reduce risks in our supply chain.

Furthermore, using these predictive analysis algorithms together with real-time stock information, we can get more insights into what will be required to have in stock in the future. This can help us reduce costs and reduce risks, as it helps us to avoid having too much or too little in stock.

Read more about this in our AI case studies: Demand forecasting using Artificial Intelligence and Efficient inventory management using Artificial Intelligence

Optimizing planning and daily operations

AI has also shown to be much more efficient in optimizing complex logistical issues such as calculating optimal routes for transport, optimizing production planning or forecasting delivery times. This can support us in increasing productivity, reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction.

Read more about this in our AI case study: Cost-saving AI in Manufacturing Logistics

Conclusion

AI offers a broad variety of applications in supply chain management, each more promising than the last. By using AI and Machine Learning algorithms to perform advanced analysis of both internal and external data sources, companies can increase the efficiency and resilience of their supply chain.This can significantly strengthen your position in the market and keep you one step ahead of competitors. It can help you increase productivity, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction.

Want to know more about what Tradecloud can do to help your company streamline and optimize the supply chain? Contact us via the contact button below!