What is Old, can be Made New: AI Technologies and Supply Chain Integration

Jeffrey D. Flynn, University of South Carolina - Upstate
Dr. Uma Gupta, USC Upstate

Abstract

Supply Chains (SC) are notoriously slow to adapt to innovative technology: however, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is pushing past the boundary of what is comfortable and substantiated, and forcing companies the world-over to begin a transitional phase. The release of Generative AI (GenAI) to the public through OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022 was a major changing point, and has been stated as, “…the fastest acceptance and usage growth of any new technology, even surpassing the iPhone…” (Cercone, 2023). Chatbots have integrated into various aspects of the SC to increase productivity and provide support to a new workforce’s human counterparts. Generative AI driven programs have become the focal point for those with the money to implement them, and those without will need to find a way to follow suit or fall behind as Digital Twins (DT) implementation transitions from traditional models to Intelligently designed versions. A lack of data-backed, scientific research has plagued the Supply Chain Industry for a long time, but AI offers an opportunity to rectify this issue. Using Supply Chain Industry standard evaluations and frameworks, it is this research’s goal to present data-based evidence that supports AI integration at significant levels throughout the Supply Chain in a standardized format that businesses and enterprises can use to facilitate a successful starting point in their AI journey. Companies who take the initiative and learn to integrate modern technologies into their enterprises can thrive in a new frontier. The unexplored technological landscape of Generative AI diminishes in scale all other tangible research exploration, as it has ignited what could very well be a multi-generational passion within humanity.

 
Apr 12th, 2:00 PM

What is Old, can be Made New: AI Technologies and Supply Chain Integration

CASB 117

Supply Chains (SC) are notoriously slow to adapt to innovative technology: however, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is pushing past the boundary of what is comfortable and substantiated, and forcing companies the world-over to begin a transitional phase. The release of Generative AI (GenAI) to the public through OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022 was a major changing point, and has been stated as, “…the fastest acceptance and usage growth of any new technology, even surpassing the iPhone…” (Cercone, 2023). Chatbots have integrated into various aspects of the SC to increase productivity and provide support to a new workforce’s human counterparts. Generative AI driven programs have become the focal point for those with the money to implement them, and those without will need to find a way to follow suit or fall behind as Digital Twins (DT) implementation transitions from traditional models to Intelligently designed versions. A lack of data-backed, scientific research has plagued the Supply Chain Industry for a long time, but AI offers an opportunity to rectify this issue. Using Supply Chain Industry standard evaluations and frameworks, it is this research’s goal to present data-based evidence that supports AI integration at significant levels throughout the Supply Chain in a standardized format that businesses and enterprises can use to facilitate a successful starting point in their AI journey. Companies who take the initiative and learn to integrate modern technologies into their enterprises can thrive in a new frontier. The unexplored technological landscape of Generative AI diminishes in scale all other tangible research exploration, as it has ignited what could very well be a multi-generational passion within humanity.