PROCUREMENT STRATEGY
AI is also not the only tool that will need to be used in procurement to drive intelligence into the function . “ We ’ re going to need a number of different tools ,” says Walden . “ One is automation , if we ’ re going to be intelligent and smart in the future , procurement will need a tool to sort out its data - capture it , ingest it , bring in internal and external data - and provide a visual representation . Because we don ’ t just want to use technology to automate processes we want to be intelligent with it . I see modern platforms having these sorts of features and functionalities to improve the overall environment . Stuff like cloud , IoT , sensors , GPRS , Big Data will all be game changers .”
But is procurement intelligence the answers to global challenges in procurement ? While technology will be a key enabler , Walden doesn ’ t see it as a ‘ silver bullet answer ’. “ I think we need to be led by the vision . What is procurement all about ? Where are we going ? Who do we need to be in the future to meet business requirements and provide business value ? And so I see technology as just one of these tools . We need data , we need insights and analysis ,
48 January 2022