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AI
Previous findings from Zero100 showed job listings that mention AI or machine learning had grown 116 % in one year, with P & G, Colgate-Palmolive, Nike and Tesla leading the charge.
As large enterprises experiment with and plan significant investments in AI, the talent race is unlikely to slow.
Full-scale adoption on the horizon Looking ahead, Keith expects full-scale adoption of machine learning across procurement within two years. He also anticipates a deeper transformation just beyond that window.
“ In two to four years, we’ ll see capabilities that boost procurement effectiveness by tenfold,” he says.
“ Fully-autonomous, conversational, multi-channel supplier negotiation is on the horizon, starting with tail spend and moving into strategic categories. Agents will not just assist, but act with autonomy in sourcing, clarifying proposals and even offering category strategy guidance.”
Machine learning is no longer simply embedded in procurement, but reshaping it. From supplier scoping and selection to demand planning and forecasting, AI agents are already making procurement faster, more accurate and better aligned with business goals.
Still, the pace and impact of this change depend on how quickly procurement leaders build trust in the tools and invest in the people who use them. procurementmag. com 107