Artificial intelligence isn’t new. It has been around, in some form, for decades. What is new are the multitude of ways procurement can leverage AI to improve their operations and drive value within their organization.
With so many solutions on the market, it can be tricky to figure out where exactly you should adopt AI and how to do so in a way that truly impacts your team.
Always here to help, we’ve gathered our six top AI-focused podcast episodes so you can hear advice directly from some of the best voices in procurement. Listen below to get a better understanding of AI trends in procurement, ways to cut through the noise, and best practices for adopting AI for your procurement function.
Episode 759: 2024 AI Adoption Trends
“For procurement, now is the time to raise your hand and sit at the table where your company is deciding on AI use cases, because that is going to transform your trajectory in the industry and the company.”
While procurement has seen plenty of opportunities to adopt AI for improved efficiency and streamlined operations, it’s not necessarily our teams who are making the decisions for what tools to implement and where.
In this episode, Mary Purk, co-author of “Growing Up: Navigating Generative AI’s Early Years,” briefs you on the biggest opportunities for AI adoption within procurement. Her most important finding? Middle managers need to take the reins to implement AI solutions in a way that truly supports their efforts.
“It’s incumbent upon all of us to be change ready, to be curious, to always be learning because this overestimated technology today will truly be delivering huge results tomorrow.”
It seems like everyone is on board for AI adoption–but what about the opinions of those who are a bit more skeptical of the hype? Alan Veeck, CEO & Founder at Summit Procurement, doesn’t mind taking that contrarian stance.
In this episode, he shares his optimistic but rational thoughts on AI at scale, the impact it may have on your job, and the attitude he thinks procurement needs to take to successfully embrace change.
Episode 708: Unleashing the Power of Generative AI in Procurement
“Longer term, I think people haven’t fully understood the power of generative AI beyond their own personal use cases. But now, the central theme is really testing out where it can go.”
Whether you’re still considering where to implement certain tools or you’re well into an adoption effort, most procurement teams are adding AI into their processes. No matter where you are on your journey, it never hurts to consider the best practices to maximize value creation.
In this episode, Lance Younger, CEO of ProcureTech, and Nick Heinzmann, Head of Research at Zip, take you through the differences between AI and generative AI, the role each plays in procurement orchestration, and the biggest risks of AI adoption to watch out for.
“I think we are headed for human-centered AI where we have the human at the core, and you are going to augment your capabilities with technology to make your work better. That is where it is going.”
While AI isn’t out to replace humans in the workplace, it does make us reconsider the type of talent procurement needs to surround ourselves with. As procurement increases their AI adoption, teams need to include forward thinking individuals who have the skill set needed to thrive in those environments.
In this episode, Darshan Deshmukh, President at ProcureAbility, goes through the four soft skills he thinks you–and every procurement professional–will need to hone in order to succeed alongside AI.
Episode 686: 5 Things Procurement Should Consider When Evaluating AI
“People are going to start to realize the capabilities and the limitations of the main tools that are out there and start to integrate. I think this is the year of actually integrating and trialing and experimenting.”
Year after year, procurement gets a bit better about their AI adoption. From dabbling to fully integrating different solutions, procurement needs to be intentional about which solutions they onboard and how those solutions–hopefully–can work together for greater success.
In this episode, Heather Murray, AI Trainer and Advisor at Beesting Digital and Founder of AI for Non-Techies, shares five things all procurement teams need to consider when looking into new AI solutions to fit into their digital strategies.
Episode 639: Separating AI Hype from Digital Procurement Value
“It’s important for providers to understand it’s not just about providing technology, but a solution that actually drives value. They have a responsibility to ensure that the implementation and adoption go well because it has a long-term effect.”
The last few years have seen the number of procurement-focused AI solutions skyrocket. As you weigh one solution against another, you also have to be wary of the hoopla that can surround systems that offer more on the surface than they do in reality.
In this episode, you will hear from Andy Warzecha, Principal and Chief Market Intelligence Officer, Christopher Sawchuk, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader, and Rick Gardner, Director, from The Hackett Group. They offer their advice on understanding the hype around procurement AI, navigating the provider landscape, and prioritizing value over style.
