From Use Case to Value: Where Should You Start with AI in Your Supply Chain?

Where should you realistically start with AI in your supply chain, and which use cases justify investment?

Apr 21, 2026 11:00

—

12:00

GMT

Online (MS Teams)

For senior supply chain leaders only

How this meeting works

Practitioner-led working session
No pitches
Small-group, facilitated discussion
Works best when you can engage actively
Chatham House Rule
Limited places to preserve quality

Suggested Discussion Points

Identifying Supply Chain Use Cases That Actually Create Value

Which AI-enabled supply chain use cases are genuinely worth pursuing first — for example demand forecasting, yield optimisation, inventory allocation or price optimisation
How leaders distinguish attractive ideas from initiatives that genuinely justify investment, particularly under service, cost and working capital pressure
What data foundations are actually required to make these use cases work in practice, and where ERP, integration or data-quality constraints quietly rule options in or out
How organisations are sequencing initiatives so early projects compound value rather than creating technical debt or implementation bottlenecks later
What signals indicate a team is ready to move from exploration to execution, and what the next practical steps tend to look like

Why this session exists

Many organisations are exploring AI, but struggle to move from ideas and experimentation to initiatives that deliver measurable impact.

The challenge is rarely a lack of tools or concepts. It is understanding which use cases genuinely matter, what data and system conditions are required, and how to sequence initiatives so that early efforts create momentum rather than complexity.

This session focuses on the transition from use case to value: helping leaders cut through the noise and identify where AI can be applied in a way that is both practical and defensible.

What you'll leave with

A clearer view of which AI-enabled supply chain use cases are most likely to deliver value in practice
A better understanding of the data and system foundations required to support those use cases
Peer perspectives on how organisations are prioritising and sequencing AI initiatives
Practical signals for when to move from exploration to execution

Who this meeting is for

This meeting is designed for people working through real operational and innovation decisions, rather than those seeking presentations or general inspiration.

Who for

Supply chain, IT and transformation leaders responsible for operational performance and technology-enabled change
Organisations exploring how to apply AI within planning, execution or commercial decision-making
Teams seeking to prioritise initiatives under cost, service or working capital pressure

Who not for

Teams looking for feature-by-feature system comparisons
Product demonstrations or vendor-led presentations
Anyone expecting a passive, webinar-style session rather than a discussion

How the online session works

Each session is designed as an online equivalent of a small, in-room roundtable discussion — not a passive, webinar-style presentation.

The format adapts to the topic and the experience in the room:

Where participants already have strong knowledge, we typically start by inviting individuals to expand on specific points they have shared in advance. This helps surface real-world context quickly and anchors the discussion in practical experience.
Where the topic is less familiar or more specialised, we may begin with a short explainer to establish a shared baseline before opening up the discussion.

To support productive dialogue, we often invite a subject-matter expert to join the session. This may be someone from a vendor, consultancy, or independent background — sometimes from within the community, sometimes external.

Their role is not to pitch or present a solution. Instead, they listen carefully to the discussion and reflect back:

how similar challenges have been approached in comparable organisations
what has worked (and what hasn’t) in practice
concrete examples that help translate discussion into action

This balance is deliberate. Without it, sessions can drift into abstract debate or problem-sharing. With it, discussions stay grounded and participants leave with tangible ideas they can apply in their own context.

The emphasis throughout is on shared learning, practical insight, and forward progress, rather than polished presentations or predetermined answers.

What happens next

Participation is confirmed through a short, staged process designed to ensure a good fit and a productive discussion for everyone in the room.

Step 1: Register interest

You start by entering your details. This helps us understand your background and what you are hoping to get from the session.

Step 2: We sense-check fit and composition

We may follow up to clarify a few details. This isn’t gatekeeping — it’s about making sure the discussion works for everyone. We design sessions so participants are from broadly similar organisations and are working through comparable challenges.

Step 3: We manage sensitivities and conflicts

We take care to avoid competitive conflicts or situations where participants might feel constrained about what they can share. The goal is open, practical discussion without awkwardness.

Step 4: You receive a personal invitation

Once confirmed, you’ll receive a personal invitation with:

The session agenda
Who else will be joining
Clear joining instructions

You’ll know who is in the room well in advance — no surprises.

Step 5: The session itself

Sessions are interactive and roundtable-based, focused on real experiences and what actually works in practice.
To get discussion started, we may invite a participant, partner, or subject-matter expert to offer a short provocation or perspective.

Online Discussion