AI Takes Center Stage in ANZ Supply Chains as Firms Pursue Resilience and Speed
In a region grappling with shifting consumer expectations and persistent global disruptions, businesses in Australia and New Zealand are accelerating their use of artificial intelligence to modernize supply chains. A newly released IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by Blue Yonder, reveals that firms are increasingly turning to AI-driven orchestration to gain agility, strengthen productivity, and anticipate future challenges.
Drawn from a survey of 742 business leaders across Asia and the Pacific, the report captures a clear trend: companies are moving beyond piecemeal automation and investing in integrated intelligence that connects decisions across inventory, logistics, and procurement.
Resilience and Adaptability Dominate the Strategic Agenda
For nearly every leader surveyed, visibility into supply chain operations is no longer optional—it’s essential. In the Asia/Pacific region, over 99% cited visibility as a top priority, while an equally high number emphasized the need to react swiftly to supply disruptions. Within ANZ, that urgency has crystallized into focused action on four fronts: diversifying supplier networks, improving cybersecurity, compressing time-to-market for new products, and elevating the customer experience.
What sets ANZ apart is the speed with which generative AI tools are being applied to practical domains. From optimizing warehouse workflows to refining procurement processes, companies are embedding intelligence into everyday decisions. One example cited in the report involves Silk Logistics, which has introduced warehouse automation technologies that not only increase efficiency but also sharpen service delivery.
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A Divergence in Regional Priorities Emerges
Across Southeast Asia, by contrast, sustainability and digital connectivity have become dominant themes. As these economies modernize, investments are increasingly directed at cloud-based platforms, robotics, and Internet of Things (IoT) systems that address fragmentation while lowering environmental impact. In this landscape, AI is being adopted not only to streamline supply chains but also to embed resilience into every node.
For ANZ firms, however, the focus is orchestration: aligning real-time data across internal teams and external partners to support faster, smarter decisions. The goal isn’t just automation—it’s end-to-end coordination that turns supply chains into responsive ecosystems.
Firms Turn to Predictive Systems to Break Down Silos
The study underscores that 47% of supply chain organizations in the region have shortened the time between data capture and decision-making through AI integration. Meanwhile, 35% are already leveraging digital networks to deepen supplier collaboration, suggesting a regional pivot toward prediction over reaction.
Underpinning this shift is a broader technological transformation. Traditional systems—once limited to forecasting and inventory management—are giving way to platforms capable of scenario planning, autonomous decision support, and adaptive logistics design.
Redefining the Competitive Edge
According to the report, the concept of orchestration is gaining traction as a unifying strategy. Rather than treating logistics, procurement, and customer fulfillment as separate domains, orchestration brings them together—eliminating silos and replacing reactive processes with anticipatory action. This model not only reduces costs and delays but also aligns with rising demands for environmental accountability.
For industries like retail, manufacturing, and distribution the case for AI has become particularly compelling. The report paints a picture of a region in transition, where future-ready firms are those that can think in systems, act in real time, and collaborate across borders.
In Australia and New Zealand, AI is no longer viewed as a future asset. It is the architecture of modern supply chains.
