3. Decision Intelligence (DI)
DI technology brings together AI, decision modeling, and analytics to support and automate decision making. Supply chain leaders will be using this technology to better understand the decisions being made by tools and improve them based on feedback.
4. Ambient Invisible Intelligence
Real-time monitoring tools with sensing capabilities will help enable end-to-end supply chain visibility. The smart tags and sensors are a low-cost lift for monitoring perishable goods while meeting environmental regulations through improved traceability.
“I think we’re finally to that tipping point where RFID tags have become cheap enough, ubiquitous enough. Most retailers have a bunch of stuff in their store already, wood tags … they don’t even know it,” Matthew Guiste, global retail technology strategist at Zebra told CGT at NRF’s Big Show in January. “So once that happens, just getting the readers makes it so you can know where your things are, down to a very close location, which helps for things like SKU counting, picking up an order for curbside pickup, etc.”
5. Augmented Connected Workforce (ACWF)
Companies will look to digitize the supply chain workforce, tapping ACWF tools for more accurate decision-making and accelerated processes, including employee onboarding. The technology will also be used to improve productivity levels in manufacturing and logistics operations.
ACWF can bring together technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, and AI.
“When generative AI came along, we saw an opportunity to add a conversational experience to workforce management, which makes a lot of sense if you think about it because almost all of our users are desk-less workers,” Sanish Mondkar, CEO of Legion Technologies told CGT at NRF’s Big Show in January. “So the best way for them to engage with workforce management software and get complex things executed is by having a conversation and saying, ‘I need this shift to change and AI will do it for you,’ or ‘I need this timesheet to be approved and AI will do it for you.’”
6. Multimodal UI
These tools give way to capabilities such as voice-activated controls and gesture-based interfaces. It will allow system users to improve supply chain communication, improving productivity in areas like logistics and used to boost driver safety rates.
7. Polyfunctional Robots
Multitasking is taking on a new meaning with polyfunctional robots that can take on multiple roles. They can perform tasks such as sorting and packaging with a lower rate of human intervention.
Oxford Industries, which owns such brands as Tommy Bahama, Lilly Pulitzer, and Johnny Was, recently deployed more than 450 robots in a distribution center to support receiving, decanting, sorting, packing, and outbound shipping, offering end-to-end automation through a Next Generation Skypod picking system.
8. Intelligent Simulation
By incorporating AI and machine learning, supply chain leaders will be able to elevate traditional approaches to simulation, using predictive capabilities to enable improved decision making. For example, this can be used to optimize logistics routes and warehouse layouts to lower costs and boost efficiency, per Gartner.
link