OM Forum—Supply Chain Management in the AI Era: A Vision Statement from the Operations Management Community

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Authors: Maxime C. Cohen, Maxime C. Cohen, Tinglong Dai, Georgia Perakis, Narendra Agrawal, Gad Allon, Robert N. Boute, Gérard P. Cachon, Morris A. Cohen, Morris Cohen, Morris Cohen, Rares Cristian
+32 more Vinayak Deshpande, Francis de Véricourt, Jan C. Fransoo, Joren Gijsbrechts, Pavithra Harsha, Ming Hu, Pınar Keskinocak, Caleb Kwon, Hau Lee, Sheng Liu, Konstantina Mellou, Ishai Menache, Jason Miller, Serguei Netessine, Tava Lennon Olsen, Jeevan Pathuri, Robert Peels, Yongzhi Qi, Ananth Raman, Anne Robinson, Zuo‐Jun Max Shen, Masha Shunko, David Simchi-Levi, Hannah Smalley, Jing-Sheng Song, Jayashankar M. Swaminathan, Christopher S. Tang, Sridhar Tayur, Maxi Udenio, Jan A. Van Mieghem, Yuqian Xu, Dennis Zhang
Cited by: 11
References: 68

Abstract

Problem definition: Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the research and practice of supply chain management. Yet its impact depends on how effectively it is integrated with the theories, methods, and fundamental principles of operations management (OM), which must also evolve to account for the informational, incentive, and institutional changes brought by AI. The OM community has an important role and responsibility to lead in shaping not only how AI transforms supply chains but also how the supply chains that enable AI are designed to be sustainable, resilient, and equitable. Methodology/results: This vision statement organizes the discussion around five layers of the interaction between AI and supply chain management: intelligence, execution, strategy, human, and infrastructure. It synthesizes recent research and industry practice to show how AI enhances forecasting, planning, decision making, risk management, and human–machine collaboration and also examines the supply chains that support AI. Finally, it highlights persistent challenges in data quality, model integration, governance, and workforce adaptation. Managerial implications: Realizing AI’s promise in supply chain management requires reliable data and infrastructure, integration of learning and optimization, transparent and explainable decision systems, and a long-term commitment to human–AI collaboration. Together, these elements form the foundation for resilient, adaptive, and trustworthy supply chains in the AI era.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Supply Chain Resilience and Risk Management Big Data and Business Intelligence Digital Transformation in Industry

Publication details

Journal / source
Manufacturing & Service Operations Management
Publisher
Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)
Volume
28
Issue
3
Pages
687–705
Publication date
26 March 2026
Language
EN