By Karen Kroll

Rising capital costs and escalating customer expectations make inventory mismatches—excess stock or empty shelves—a critical threat to profit and reputation. Leading brands are leveraging advanced analytics and AI solutions to tackle these challenges effectively.

With capital costs increasing, buyers are now managing cash more tightly, opting for smaller, more frequent purchases. This shift complicates demand forecasting, making it vital that suppliers enhance their capabilities to absorb variability while minimizing errors. As brands face heightened consumer expectations, they increasingly employ AI for demand sensing and to model supply scenarios, allowing for rapid decision-making and precise inventory projections.

For instance, CDW utilizes Blue Yonder's AI-driven platform to achieve accurate demand forecasting, significantly reducing excess inventory and ensuring cash flow protection. By analyzing historical sales patterns, CDW can isolate anomalies and adjust order sizes in real-time, resulting in minimal stockouts.

Similarly, GE Appliances employs agentic AI to enhance forecasting accuracy and improve operational agility through its "zero distance" strategy, which emphasizes local manufacturing. Their integrated AI tools optimize productivity and proactively address issues, leading to a 20-25% reduction in inventory levels while increasing customer satisfaction.

At Grainger, AI investments enhance demand forecasting and ensure smarter inventory management. In doing so, they achieve higher service levels and maximize distribution network efficiency. The ClearIce platform from Ice Mobility also integrates AI for real-time demand planning, significantly improving order accuracy and reducing stockouts.

Overall, these companies demonstrate that harnessing AI and advanced analytics not only streamlines operations but also fosters customer satisfaction and boosts profitability.

LAS VEGAS — Geotab recently showcased its next generation of connected fleet technology at the Connect 2026 conference, emphasizing how artificial intelligence (AI) can revamp vehicle telematics. The company unveiled enhancements to its GO telematics device, a new AI-powered dashcam, and advanced asset tracking systems aimed at boosting fleet safety and efficiency.

CEO Neil Cawse highlighted the necessity for telematics to evolve, stating that "Reliable AI starts with reliable data." The upgraded Geotab GO hardware improves data processing and supports new capabilities, including Geotab Ace, a generative AI assistant that converts data into actionable insights for fleet managers regarding vehicle and driver performance.

For more demanding operations, the GO Plus version provides enhanced security and features future connectivity through SpaceX's Starlink service, overcoming cellular dead zones. The innovative GO Focus Pro dash camera integrates 360-degree visibility with AI functionalities that automatically recognize traffic violations and identify risky driving behaviors like mobile phone use, facilitating targeted coaching for drivers.

Geotab also introduced next-generation asset tracking devices, including the GO Anywhere for non-powered assets, offering location data updates every hour with a battery life of up to 10 years. The GO Anywhere Plus enables near real-time tracking powered by wired connections and incorporates Starlink for consistent coverage in remote areas.

Geotab's partnerships with third-party providers, such as Xtract for crash reporting and BlueArrow Fuel for theft detection, enhance operational capabilities for fleet operators. Cawse urged the industry to adopt AI, asserting that it is critical for maintaining competitiveness in a rapidly evolving work landscape. "AI is not coming, it’s here," he said, championing the integration of AI into fleet operations.

Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) has unveiled new AI agents integrated within Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications to streamline supply chain processes encompassing planning, procurement, manufacturing, maintenance, and logistics. This announcement was made during the Oracle AI World Tour in Mumbai.

These AI agents, created with the Oracle AI Agent Studio, enhance existing supply chain workflows at no extra cost to customers. Operated on the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, they also feature built-in security measures.

"With supply chains becoming increasingly intricate and disruptions more common, businesses require faster, automated solutions to maintain efficiency," emphasized Chris Leone, executive vice president of Applications Development at Oracle.

The new AI agents consist of 12 distinct tools tailored to specific supply chain functions. For instance, the Planning Cycle Agent automates task coordination in planning and procurement, while the Autonomous Sourcing Agent facilitates competitive bidding for high-volume purchases. The Component Replacement Agent manages component replacements and analyzes supply chain impacts.

In manufacturing and maintenance, the Maintenance Work Order Cost Estimation Advisor Agent estimates costs, while the Outside Processing Shipping Agent generates shipping data for supplier-bound components. Additionally, the Inventory Tasking Agent optimizes warehouse tasks by considering operator skills and availability.

In the logistics and order management arena, the Wave Research Advisor Agent scrutinizes warehouse work batches to pinpoint issues. The Purchase Order to Sales Order Converter Agent automates data extraction from PDF purchase orders, transforming them into sales orders. Lastly, the Service Parts Advisor Agent leverages insights to identify necessary parts for customer issues and automatically processes orders.

Moreover, customers and partners have the option to design custom AI agents using the AI Agent Studio for Fusion Applications, further tailoring solutions to their needs.

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gather AI, a leader in Physical AI for logistics, has secured $40 million in Series B funding, led by Smith Point Capital Management, with participation from several prominent investors. This funding boosts the total raised to $74 million and takes place after a year of impressive growth, where Gather AI has doubled its operational footprint and increased bookings by 250%. The platform now serves major logistics and manufacturing entities such as GEODIS and NFI Industries.

The logistics industry faces significant losses due to discrepancies between warehouse activities and digital record-keeping, resulting in operational inefficiencies. Gather AI bridges this 'physical-digital divide' by providing continuous physical intelligence, which enhances workflow optimization, identifies bottlenecks proactively, and prevents costly issues before they escalate.

Gather AI’s innovative approach allows robots to analyze millions of warehouse images, achieving 99.9% inventory accuracy while reducing manual counting by 80% and boosting productivity fivefold. Customers generally see a return on investment in under six months, transforming their warehouses into intelligent hubs that streamline operational costs and enhance supply chain reliability.

CEO Sankalp Arora emphasizes the transformative potential of Gather AI's technology, stating that the funding will enable an expansion into proactive inventory management and overall autonomous orchestration. This evolution shifts supply chain operations from a reactive to a proactive stance, fundamentally changing logistics management.

With recognition from CB Insights and plans to showcase its platform at Manifest and MODEX in 2026, Gather AI is poised for continued growth across North America, Europe, and Asia. The company’s unique solution integrates seamlessly with existing systems, leveraging AI-powered vision to drive operational excellence in industries ranging from manufacturing to food and beverage.