AI keeps supplies coming amid global uncertainties
Empower your mind, elevate your skills
ETtech
ETtech
In the face of tariff talks, trade tensions, volatile demand cycles and reconfigurations in global supply chains, businesses are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence technology for greater predictability and risk management.Use cases are emerging across industries such as manufacturing, retail, consumer goods and large conglomerates. They include intelligent demand forecasting , dynamic route optimisation and sourcing, inventory and procurement management, digital twins of supply chains, tariff code management, order processing and quality control and logistics optimisation, experts and executives said.The focus is on making supply chains more resilient, scanning global events to identify risks in real-time. Until recently, deriving efficiency and reducing environmental impact were the major reasons for AI deployment in this domain. But the current global scenario has shifted the focus to stability as well, executives said.More than 60% of enterprises are focused on piloting multiagent systems for autonomous value chain operations, according to a recent Nasscom survey. 'With GenAI, value chain optimisation has emerged as an important use case as models learn from the value chain interactions and data flows to optimise resource, asset, and time efficiencies,' the report said.This helps companies get more nimble.'By using AI to predict disruptions, whether due to trade tensions, raw material shortages, or climate-related events, we can adapt quickly while continuing to deliver responsibly,' a spokesperson for multinational industrial technology company Siemens AG told ET. 'Real-time data on demand shifts, component shortages, or regulatory changes allows us to respond quickly without compromising on our sustainability standards.'The firm is seeing improved capacity utilisation, faster response times, and significantly lower carbon impact by using AI in supply chain management . This includes a 15% reduction in logistics costs and 40% faster delivery times. It is also deploying AI-powered digital twins that simulate supply chain scenarios in real-time.GenAI can reimagine nearly 60% of 122 supply chain processes, from design and planning to after-sales and service, according to Accenture analysis. 0'For example, embedding gen AI into supply chain control towers improves data interaction, real-time decision making and proactive risk management,' said Vijay Kumar Baliyan, MD and lead, Industry X, Accenture in India. 'We are seeing an uptick in AI adoption in supply chain operations across industries, specifically in retail and ecommerce, consumer goods, healthcare and transportation.'Applications in sourcing and procurement include auto-generated vendor-specific insights to support contract renewals and contextualised performance metrics, he said. This enhances explainability, efficiency and operational performance.'We are seeing a sharp rise in AI adoption across sectors we serve, from energy to infrastructure to manufacturing,' said Anshum Jain, vice president, global supply chain, greater India, Schneider Electric . 'In India, where supply chains face unique challenges like infrastructural variability and regional disruptions, we're seeing AI play a critical role in building operational continuity. AI allows us to detect early signs of disruption, model various scenarios, and proactively address risks, whether it's a raw material shortage or a logistics bottleneck.'Firms are looking to strengthen their capacity to anticipate disruptions and respond with precision. 'Machine learning is used to model supply chain risks, while natural language processing enhances customer communication and sentiment analysis,' said Naresh Kumar, COO of electrical and automation firm Lauritz Knudsen.'AI-driven sales value projections are enabling smarter monthly planning cycles for the company, grounded in real-time data, he added. 'Amid ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties, businesses are grappling with challenges such as price volatility, supply chain disruptions, unplanned tariff costs and unpredictable operational shifts,' said Prashanth Kaddi, partner, Deloitte India.AI-driven tools for scenario planning and predictive analytics, including predictive simulations, are becoming indispensable for navigating uncertainty and managing disruptions, he said. For instance, AI can support complex tasks such as trade classification, cost structure analysis, and regulatory compliance, enabling faster and more strategic decisions.Microsoft customers like L&T are leveraging AI to reduce project planning time from two weeks to 10 minutes, unlocking faster decisions and cost savings in infrastructure and EPC, said Himani Agrawal, COO, Microsoft India and South Asia. Globally, procurement and supply chain solutions provider GEP is driving around 50% productivity gains with its AI-powered procurement platform. In a rapidly evolving global environment where trade dynamics are shifting, AI is no longer optional. In fact, it's becoming foundational to how supply chains operate,' said Agrawal.The automotive industry is also leveraging AI to manage vast supplier networks, especially as electric and autonomous vehicles become mainstream, said Manish Singhal, secretary general, Assocham.'Retail is undergoing a quiet revolution, using AI to decode consumer behavior and respond to shifts almost as they happen,' Singhal said. 'In food and beverage, AI helps ensure freshness and reduce waste, while healthcare and pharmaceuticals are using it to manage critical, life-saving logistics.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Big Tech continues to hire in India even as local majors downsize
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills ETtech Indian IT services majors may be trimming their workforce, but for Big Tech, it's still hiring season in giants under the FAAMNG umbrella – Facebook parent Meta, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, and Google – have grown their India headcount across their own and their affiliate entities by 16% over the past 12 months, data from staffing firm Xpheno pace of growth is slightly higher than 15% in the 12 months to August saw over 28,000 net employee additions in the past one year. The current estimated collective headcount across their entities in India is over 208,000, according to hiring rate 'is relatively healthy, especially with the buzz of AI potentially impacting pace and volume of hiring,' said Kamal Karanth, cofounder of companies continue to post healthy hiring demand in the country, with active openings at 4,500 currently, despite executing large-scale layoffs in the US, with an estimated 100,000 laid off Covid pandemic-induced hiring surge saw net additions for the FAAMNG cohort grow 35% year-on-year in 2022, followed by a slowdown to 6% growth in comparison, the top six Indian IT services firms saw headcount additions soar 22% on year in 2022, followed by declines by 0.2% and 3.1% in 2023 and 2024, respectively. As of June 2025, combined headcount in these firms grew 1.3% year-on-year to 1,625, the country's IT bellwether Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) on Sunday caused shockwaves as it announced layoff of 12,000 employees in mid-to-senior levels, citing skills mismatch in project global giants have also announced major layoffs in recent times, India has seen a lesser impact compared to many other geographies, experts noted.'While we do see some of this affecting India, the volumes so far are not as high as global numbers,' said Neeti Sharma, CEO of IT staffing firm TeamLease hiring in the industry is increasingly selective, with a focus on specialised skills, especially in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud.'There is a high demand for skills such as AI, cloud and cybersecurity,' while hiring is down for support and routine roles, especially in conventional technologies, Sharma said.'Few older roles will gradually become redundant. However, newer roles are being defined,' she said. 'This transition is tough now, but it's needed to stay relevant.'Employees face more pressure to perform and upskill, especially in AI and cloud, as companies focus on keeping top talent and building leaner teams, Sharma per Quess IT staffing, hiring by large tech firms in India dipped by 3-6% in the fourth quarter of FY2025 ended in March. However, it was up by about 8-10% in the first quarter FY2026, it said.'While global tech firms are making headlines for layoffs abroad, many are increasing hiring in India, especially through their GCCs,' said Kapil Joshi, CEO of Quess IT global capability centres (GCCs) are now doing more high-end work, such as developing AI tools, cloud platforms, and new digital products, he the same time, companies are seeing the need to balance costs while increasing focus on innovation, experts said.'They need to train people faster, close talent gaps, and compete for the best candidates in a tight market,' Joshi said.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Time of India
Comet browser to fully replace recruiters, admin assistants: Perplexity AI CEO
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Aravind Srinivas, cofounder and chief executive (CEO) of Perplexity AI , has claimed that the company's Comet browser might replace recruiters and administrative assistants completely from office to Srinivas, the Comet browser, coupled with advanced language models, automated most recruitment The Verge podcast, he said a single prompt on the Comet browser can handle candidate sourcing, outreach, response tracking, and spreadsheet even planned interviews by syncing calendars and generating meeting briefs, eliminating laborious manual follow-ups. "A recruiter's week's worth of work is just one prompt... It doesn't even have to be a prompt - it should be proactive," Srinivas claimed that Comet and other technologies might achieve this level of automation in the near future. Srinivas predicted that AI agents, capable of managing schedules, paperwork, and follow-ups, will take on administrative roles as AI models continue to improve every Comet is available only to paying users; however, Perplexity has started to offer limited access to free users. The Perplexity CEO had previously indicated that the basic browser may become widely available, but more advanced agent-based features will remain exclusive to premium from being a web browser, Comet advertised itself with Gen AI features that could create graphics, texts, and emails. It also can support AI agents that can reserve tickets for you by visiting a had earlier cautioned young professionals to swiftly adapt or risk falling behind as AI increasingly took over office tasks. Srinivas asserted that the employability of AI literates would undoubtedly increase, and he encouraged young people to dedicate their time to AI platforms instead of idly scrolling through Instagram Perplexity AI recently secured additional funding in a deal that values the company at $18 billion.
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Time of India
ETtech Deals Digest: Startups raise $126 million this week, down 35% on-year
ETtech ETtech Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills ETtech ETtech Startups raised around $125.7 million during the week of July 26 to August 1, marking a 34.6% decline from the $192.1 million raised during the same period last year, according to data from funding amount declined from the previous week as well, dropping 40.5% from $211.3 activity, too, declined this week on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, with 17 transactions recorded during the period, compared to the 45 deals seen in the corresponding week last intelligence startup Safe Security raised $70 million in a funding round led by Avataar Ventures, with participation from Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital, NextEquity Partners, and Prosperity7 kitchen operator EatClub, which runs brands like Box8 and Mojo Pizza, raised around $22 million in funding led by existing investors Tiger Global, A91 Partners, and 360 One Asset Management. Metaforms raised $9 million in a funding round led by Peak XV Partners, with Nexus Venture Partners and Together Fund gaming platform Stan raised $8.5 million in a funding round from a clutch of investors, including Japanese gaming firms, Google, and Nazara Technologies Edtech startup Arivihan, which offers automated, personalised coaching for school students, raised $4.17 million in a funding round led by Dutch investment firm Prosus and Silicon Valley-based venture capital (VC) firm Accel
