Organisations in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) are ramping up investment in AI-powered supply chain technologies to build resilience, boost productivity, and meet evolving customer demands, according to a new IDC InfoBrief commissioned by the leader in end-to-end digital supply chain transformations, Blue Yonder.
The IDC InfoBrief, AI-Driven Orchestration for the Modern Supply Chain, surveyed business leaders across Asia/Pacific in the manufacturing, retail, logistics, transportation, wholesale, and distribution industries. It reveals that as global supply chains grow more complex, ANZ organisations are taking a proactive approach to technology adoption – leveraging automation, predictive analytics, and smart warehousing to overcome legacy challenges and unlock end-to-end visibility.
Across the Asia/Pacific region, 99.5% of supply chain leaders identified visibility as a top priority, while 99.7% emphasised the importance of agility in responding to disruption. AI and advanced technologies are emerging as critical enablers of this shift – supporting faster decision-making, collaborative supplier networks, and flexible logistics planning.
In ANZ, top strategic priorities over the next three years include:
- Multi-shoring strategies to expand supply bases and mitigate risk
- Cybersecurity resilience to protect increasingly digital supply chain ecosystems
- Product innovation for faster, more efficient market delivery
- Consumer focus to improve satisfaction and responsiveness
Warehouse and inventory management is the leading area of generative AI focus, followed by worker productivity, procurement, and supply chain design. Real-world case studies such as Silk Logistics’ successful warehouse automation initiative demonstrate how ANZ companies are translating AI into operational impact – streamlining workflows and scaling customer service delivery.
“ANZ businesses are responding to a new era of supply chain complexity by leaning into AI-driven orchestration,” said Antonio Boccalandro, president, APAC, Blue Yonder. “They are building smarter, more connected ecosystems that can see, analyse, decide, and act in real time. As the region is beset by economic and logistical challenges, this innovation will be critical to ensure business continuity and success.”
ASEAN: Accelerating connectivity and sustainability
While ANZ focuses on resilience through technology and security, other Asia/Pacific nations are advancing digital connectivity and sustainable supply chain models. Looking more broadly across Southeast Asia, organisations are adopting cloud-based collaboration, robotics, and IoT to address fragmentation, reduce environmental impact, and stay agile in the face of market shifts.
The IDC InfoBrief highlights that 47 per cent of Asia/Pacific supply chain organisations are already achieving faster data-to-decision outcomes through AI, and 35 per cent are using digital ecosystems to enhance supplier collaboration.
These findings highlight that the region is moving toward a future where predictive technologies underpin every aspect of the supply chain – from procurement and logistics to fulfilment and customer engagement.
Unified platforms for dynamic markets
A key takeaway from the IDC InfoBrief is the importance of orchestration – the integration of data, tools, and processes across internal teams and external partners. This approach replaces siloed systems and manual workflows with seamless coordination, enabling faster responses, lower costs, and more sustainable operations.
“Organisations across Asia/Pacific must adopt scalable AI solutions, cloud platforms, and collaborative ecosystems to future-proof their supply chains,” added Stephanie Krishnan, associate vice president, IDC Asia/Pacific. “Those who can unify their data and orchestrate their networks in real-time will lead in performance, resilience, and innovation.”
Research methodology
The Global Supply Chain Survey was conducted by IDC and surveyed 742 business leaders across Asia/Pacific in the manufacturing, retail, logistics, transportation, wholesale, and distribution industries.
Additional Resources
Join the webinar “AI-driven orchestration for success in Asia/Pacific” on May 15 to hear from IDC’s Krishnan and Blue Yonder’s Boccalandro discuss key trends and insights from the IDC InfoBrief. Register here.
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