As we enter 2026, volatility and uncertainty have accelerated rather than eased, which puts additional pressure on global supply chains. At the same time, we are hearing from so many of our customers that technology is no longer just part of the supply chain story, but the solution to some of its toughest challenges. From geopolitical uncertainty to rising customer expectations, supply chain leaders are facing mounting pressure to deliver resilience, agility, and sustainability. The good news is that innovations like agentic AI and advanced analytics are no longer theoretical; they’re transforming workflows today, at scale.
The past few years have taught us that disruption is the new normal. Whether it’s global conflicts, raw material shortages, or sudden demand spikes, supply chains need to pivot faster than ever. That’s why this year, the conversation isn’t about incremental improvements—it’s about reimagining processes with intelligent technologies that anticipate, adapt, and act autonomously.
From complexity to clarity: how agentic AI changes the game
Agentic AI is reshaping supply chains, and we’re already seeing real value in practice:
Listen to the Future of Supply Chain podcast interview to learn more
- Supplier onboarding in hours, not weeks: Companies can drive substantial efficiencies by collaborating more deeply with their suppliers, such as material or logistics providers. AI agents autonomously validate supplier credentials, check compliance, and integrate them into your network, cutting onboarding time by up to 50%.
- Predictive maintenance and service that prevents downtime: Instead of reacting to failures, AI agents monitor equipment health and trigger proactive service, reducing unplanned outages by 30%.
- Autonomous disruption handling: When short-term disruptions or opportunities arise to demand or supply levels, AI agents evaluate events and alerts, model scenarios, and drive action while keeping humans in the loop. If critical inventory needs to be shifted for example, agents place orders automatically, optimizing stock levels and reducing lead times by 25%.
These aren’t distant possibilities—they’re real scenarios already piloted by SAP Supply Chain customers. AI isn’t replacing people; its amplifying human decision-making, freeing teams to focus on strategy rather than firefighting.
Why this matters: analyst rankings tell the story
SAP solutions underpin strategies that earned recognition in major 2025 analyst reports, including:
These accolades aren’t just badges of honor. They validate the trust our customers and partners place in SAP and the impact we deliver together. They also reinforce a critical truth: supply chain excellence is now a boardroom priority.
Sustainability: from obligation to advantage
Sustainability isn’t just a compliance checkbox; it’s a competitive edge. More than 25% of global emissions are already taxed or regulated by trading systems. Circularity and carbon accountability have become core KPIs for supply chain leaders because responsible practices deliver measurable benefits. Meeting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards lowers regulatory and reputational risk, while optimizing logistics for lower emissions often translates into fewer miles traveled and reduced fuel costs. At the same time, customers and investors increasingly favor brands with transparent sustainability metrics, making it a powerful differentiator in the market.
SAP solutions help companies measure emissions, enable ESG compliance, and embed sustainability data deep into operational decision-making for procurement, logistics, dispatching, and planning. This turns sustainability into a lever for growth rather than a reporting exercise. In fact, companies recognized in Gartner’s rankings often cite sustainability as a driver of resilience and profitability. When businesses can prove carbon accountability and circularity, they’re not just meeting regulations, they’re building trust and unlocking new market opportunities.
Looking ahead: our 2026 roadmaps
In 2026, our priorities center on enabling supply chains that are more intelligent, more connected, and more resilient. We are deepening our investment in agentic AI to support end-to-end value streams such as integrated business planning, sales and operations execution, digital manufacturing, and logistics execution. The goal is to bring AI directly into processes where decisions are made so planning becomes more predictive and execution becomes more automated. Over time, organizations will entirely redesign workflows and decision-making processes for the true step-change in agentic AI.
We are also advancing our capabilities in supply chain orchestration. As global supply chains operate increasingly across networks, companies need a coordinated layer that unifies planning, procurement, manufacturing, and logistics with partner ecosystems. This year, we will continue strengthening how our solutions identify risks in the n-tier network of complex supply chains by synchronizing data, prescribing decisions and actions across the enterprise and the broader network, and helping customers manage disruptions end‑to‑end with greater speed and clarity.
Finally, we remain focused on data excellence. Reliable, harmonized data is essential for AI-driven decisions and for orchestrating the supply chain. In 2026, we are continuing to enhance master data consistency, improve network-wide data quality, and support AI‑ready data models that help ensure our customers can trust and operationalize their insights at scale.
Together, these areas form the backbone of the innovations we are delivering this year, with a clear aim of helping customers move from reactive operations to intelligent, proactive orchestration. But technology alone isn’t enough. The real magic happens when we collaborate with our customers and our partners, turning complexity into opportunity.
The takeaway: 2026 is about action at scale
The supply chain landscape is evolving faster than ever. Agentic AI, sustainability, and intelligent automation aren’t optional, but essential. Companies that embrace these technologies to truly evolve how they operate and take even complex decisions will lead in resilience, efficiency, and responsibility. Those that hesitate risk falling behind in a world where adaptability is the ultimate competitive advantage.
Don’t wait for disruption to force your hand. Build the capabilities now that will carry you through uncertainty and position you for growth. Learn more about SAP’s AI-powered solutions here.
Dominik Metzger is president and chief product officer of SAP Supply Chain Management.
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*IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Multi-Enterprise Supply Chain Commerce Network 2025 Vendor Assessment, November 2025, IDC #US53010225
**IDC MarketScape: Worldwide AI-Enabled Asset-Intensive Enterprise Asset Management Applications 2025–2026 Vendor Assessment, December 2025, IDC ID # US52977525
***IDC Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP for Product-Centric Enterprises, October 2025, IDC ID# G00826212
