For supply chain leaders, 2026 is unlikely to offer respite from the continual challenges of recent years. We expect six trends to have the potential to dominate their experience, with some reshaping overarching strategies, others enhancing the use of technology and data, and a few addressing the relentless external pressures that impact all supply chains. Here, we take a closer look at what these trends are, and why supply chain leaders should embrace them to deliver a high-functioning, resilient, value-driven supply chain.
Total Value as a strategic imperative
During 2026, we expect that leading supply chain operations will move beyond a focus on resilience toward a focus on delivering ‘Total Value’. From a supply chain management perspective, Total Value shifts the organizational lens from merely navigating supply chain disruption to actively pursuing enterprise-wide value maximization. This strategic approach unites Total Experience and Total Performance to integrate critical business dimensions.
Total Experience
Total Performance
Total Value
Supply Chain as part of Global Business Services
The supply chain manages many transactions and reporting requirements, therefore is becoming the next function to be migrated within the Global Business Services (GBS) organization. This follows the centralization of other functions such as finance, HR, and IT. In the short term, this trend is playing out for major global operators, but it is likely to set the scene for others to follow.
Supply chains have many repeatable, transactional, and scalable activities, making the function ripe to bring under one roof. Centralized supply chains can help organizations to leverage cost efficiencies, scale, and to engage analytics, automation, and AI. Centralization can also help to elevate global end-to-end supply chain visibility, enable faster and more informed decision making around warehousing and logistics requirements, and provide greater risk governance and resilience coverage.
A more mature supply chain function under GBS may also feature capabilities such as fully standardized supply and demand planning, dedicated and integrated logistics control towers, integrated primary and secondary logistics systems, e-commerce, and self-service capabilities.
AI Scaling beyond proof of value
Throughout 2026, we expect to see many of the recent promises of AI in the supply chain become realities. Supply chains are likely to move from engaging standpoint AI solutions to prove their value, through to having AI embedded in platforms such as Source-to-Pay, and in supply chain planning and risk management tools driving efficiency and governance.
The most mature supply chains should achieve ‘Connected Intelligence’, in which enterprise-wide AI links the supply chain with procurement, finance, ESG, HR, and CRM systems, forming an intelligent, autonomous ecosystem. Many supply chain leaders are increasingly ready for this step – with past investment in the right technology platforms, connected data, and leadership commitment in place.
Agentic procurement
Building on the advancing role of AI in the supply chain, procurement (either situated within or aligned to supply chain functions) will be increasingly powered by Agentic AI.
In 2026, three forces will converge to make this likely. The first is capability maturity, with agents not just producing insights, but actively performing tasks such as supplier evaluation, risk monitoring, and contract review. The second force is strategic pressure, with leaders focusing on embedding Agentic AI across the procurement lifecycle. The third force is operating model evolution, with digital procurement platforms evolving toward extreme automation, deep integration, and Agentic AI.
Agents are now operating across existing Source-to-Pay, Contract Lifecycle Management, and Third-Party Risk systems. The Agents are autonomously issuing and managing RFPs, evaluating supplier responses, triggering onboarding processes, monitoring supplier risk, escalating or remediating issues in real time, and identifying upcoming contract renewals. The agents can also generate negotiation scripts and execute pre-approved contract playbooks.