How will AI shape the supply chain professional of the future? Lorraine Gavin, senior principal with Gartner, explains.

Much of the concern over the impact of artificial intelligence has centered on the individual worker, but a more important focus might be on “how work shifts will shape the supply chain professional of the future,” says Gavin.

AI will shape supply chain roles in two distinct ways. It will extend the reach of subject-matter experts in discrete disciplines across functions and teams. At the same time, it will help to bring about individuals with “super-subject matter expertise,” each focusing deeply on one particular area.

As chief supply chain officers think about applying AI to the workforce of the future, Gavin says, they might be overlooking the consequences of cutting back heavily on entry-level workers. Doing so removes the supply of future leaders, who are “effective  because they grew up in supply chain,” Gavin says. What’s more, deep cuts in that part of the workforce remove institutional knowledge, “which is gone forever.”

In the process of trimming the ranks, she says, “we are not considering the long-term talent pipeline.”

It’s not just a question of hanging on to professionals with the same skills and training as before, however. There’s a need to rethink and redefine the profile of future supply chain leaders, Gavin says. And that means getting universities to ensure that entry-level job candidates come out of school with the right training for the requirements of tomorrow, including the ability to work with cutting-edge technology.

“We’ve been through these shifts before,” Gavin says. “It’s not about what we lose — it’s about what we gain. AI shouldn’t be driven by fear.”