According to kpmg.com, six key trends are set to dominate supply chain leadership in 2026 — shifting focus from resilience alone to delivering Total Value, integrating supply chain functions into Global Business Services (GBS), scaling AI beyond proof-of-concept, advancing agentic procurement, and redefining performance through unified experience and operational excellence.
Total Value as a strategic imperative
Supply chain leaders are expected to pivot from managing disruption toward enterprise-wide value maximization. This Total Value framework unites Total Experience and Total Performance. Total Experience rests on five principles: Customer centricity, Data driven insights, Seamless integration across Commercial, Finance, Operations, and Procurement with shared KPIs, Technology enablement via automation and AI-driven real-time visibility, and Employee empowerment supporting rapid decision-making and innovation. Total Performance spans financial, operational, people, innovation, and sustainability dimensions — including energy efficiency, sourcing decisions, supplier selection, and regulatory compliance.
Supply Chain as part of Global Business Services
The supply chain is becoming the next function to migrate into Global Business Services (GBS), following the centralization of finance, HR, and IT. According to the report, supply chains contain many repeatable, transactional, and scalable activities — making them ripe for consolidation. Centralized supply chains can deliver cost efficiencies, scale, analytics leverage, automation, and AI adoption. They also elevate global end-to-end visibility, accelerate decision-making on warehousing and logistics, and strengthen risk governance and resilience coverage. A mature GBS-integrated supply chain may include standardized supply and demand planning, dedicated logistics control towers, integrated primary and secondary logistics systems, e-commerce capabilities, and self-service tools.
AI scaling beyond proof of value
In 2026, AI is expected to move from isolated pilots to embedded functionality across core platforms — including Source-to-Pay, supply chain planning, and risk management tools. The most advanced organizations will achieve ‘Connected Intelligence’, where enterprise-wide AI links supply chain systems with procurement, finance, ESG, HR, and CRM — forming an intelligent, autonomous ecosystem. According to the report, many supply chain leaders are increasingly ready for this step, supported by prior investment in technology platforms, connected data, and leadership commitment.
Agentic procurement
Building on AI’s expanding role, procurement — whether embedded within or closely aligned to supply chain functions — will be increasingly powered by Agentic AI. The source states that three forces will drive this shift in 2026, though the article cuts off before listing them.
“Supply chains are undergoing a profound shift, from focusing on resilience to delivering total value across the entire business. What we see emerging is a supply chain model that is smarter, more connected, and increasingly powered by AI.” — Mattias Hansson, Director and Head of Customer & Operations, KPMG Sweden
Source: kpmg.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
