Let’s get real about something: despite all the opportunities with algorithms and machine learning, the biggest barriers to AI success in your supply chain aren’t technological – they’re human. Our new AI report reveals huge benefits are to be had, given that you balance technological advancement with robust risk assessment and responsible change management.
Access proven strategies for building AI-savvy teams in our report with Fulfillment IQ: “AI in Supply Chain: How Leaders are Driving Breakthrough ROI”.
Empowering people
In the report, early adopters are seeing remarkable returns in the areas of:
- Transportation and logistics costs
- Delivery reliability
- Stock availability, usage, and sales capture
- Speed of decision-making
Behind those findings are real people asking real questions: Will this technology make my job easier? Can I trust it to make better decisions than I do? Is my company giving me the skills I need to succeed in this new environment?
These aren’t technical issues – they’re an opportunity to advocate for empowerment… To prove out how AI eliminates inefficiencies, uncertainties, and mistakes. Not people.
Beyond the fear factor
The transformation from AI skeptic to advocate isn’t automatic. Being a strong leader in AI change management requires deliberate leadership, thoughtful validation of psychological resistance and hard-earned skills, and a partner who understands that technology implementations are fundamentally human-enhancing endeavors.
“I’ve been managing inventory for 20 years,” one warehouse director we surveyed told us. “The idea that a computer could do it better was honestly offensive at first. But once I understood that AI wasn’t replacing my judgment but augmenting it – giving me insights I couldn’t possibly see on my own – everything changed.”
Training your workforce to ask the right questions of generative AI is a critical component of successful technology adoption.
At Deposco, we’re consistently touted for 15-minute onboarding and a change management process that makes technology super-easy, so people actually want to use it. Give us 30 minutes to prove it to you.
The AI change management imperative
Organizations that successfully navigate the human side of AI don’t just drop new technology on their teams – they invest in developing upskilling on these new capabilities. According to Accenture’s research, companies that invest in upskilling activities and create clear governance structures for AI see adoption rates 3.5x higher than those focusing solely on technological capabilities.
This isn’t just about technical training. It’s about helping people understand how AI will change their roles – for the better! The most successful AI implementations redefine jobs to leverage uniquely human capabilities like creativity, empathy, and judgment, while letting AI handle repetitive tasks and complex calculations.
In fact, GenAI can boost user adoption and satisfaction by more than 60%, reduce administrative tasks by over 50%, and increase decision-making speed by more than 30%.
That’s why so many businesses are putting their investments in AI. Take a look at MHI’s projections for adoption across 11 categories of technology over the next five years:
- Inventory and Network Optimization – 92%
- Cloud Computing and Storage – 91%
- Sensors and Automatic Identification – 88%
- Predictive Analytics – 87%
- Robotics and Automation – 83%
- Artificial Intelligence – 82%
- Internet of Things – 77%
- Wearable and Mobile Technology – 72%
- Autonomous Vehicles and Drones – 64%
- 3D Printing – 57%
- Blockchain – 54%
Deposco’s all-in-one Bright Suite platform delivers seamless and innovative AI insights for flexible supply chain optimization.
These solutions empower people to completely reimagine their planner roles. Instead of spending most of their time gathering data and making decisions, they can spend a shorter period reviewing AI-generated insights and put the majority of their time back into applying expertise, high-value judgment calls, and customer interactions – improving both productivity and job satisfaction.
Creating a culture of AI adoption and innovation
Beyond individual upskilling, leading organizations are fostering cultures where AI innovation thrives. This starts with leadership that models curiosity and continuous learning.
The most successful companies in our research don’t treat AI as a black box that makes mysterious decisions. They create transparency around how AI algorithms work, actively involve frontline workers in identifying use cases, and celebrate early adopters who find creative ways to leverage the technology.
They also recognize that AI change management isn’t a one-time event; it’s an ongoing journey. As one CIO told us: “We initially thought implementing AI was the finish line. Now we understand it’s just the starting point. The real magic happens when your people start imagining new possibilities that weren’t even on your roadmap.”
Signs that you’ve got the right partner
Perhaps the most crucial human factor in successful AI adoption is partnership. Our research found that organizations with a strong implementation partner that focuses on AI adoption and skills development achieve dramatically better results than those going it alone.
Not all implementations are the same. Prospects come to us every week after a bad partnership decision and we get them back on the right path. Learn what capabilities you need and the intangibles to consider beyond an industry short-list. This free WMS capabilities checklist will guide your fully customized search.
Look for a partner who:
- Asks tons of questions, even very early in the sales process
- Comes onsite during design to understand your unique workflows and culture
- Provides intuitive interfaces that make complex AI accessible to everyday users
- Offers training that goes beyond button-pushing to develop true AI literacy
- Shows you their proven methodology for building internal champions and governance
Bill Gibson, CEO of Deposco, emphasizes that “expertise, onsite design, monitoring, change management, and proven implementation methodologies are the critical elements that move an organization’s data set from broken to breakthrough.”
The right partner doesn’t just implement technology – they transfer knowledge, build capabilities, and foster the conditions for your team to thrive in an AI-enhanced environment.
Humans over the latest gadgets
As AI continues to transform supply chains, the organizations that pull ahead won’t necessarily be those with the most advanced innovations. They’ll be the ones that most effectively combine human and AI change management strategies – leveraging the strengths of each while compensating for their respective limitations.
This symbiotic relationship represents the future of supply chain excellence. Machines provide computational power, pattern recognition, and tireless consistency. Humans contribute creativity, contextual understanding, and ethical judgment. Together, they achieve outcomes that neither could reach alone.