How Many Supply Chain Companies Will Be Using AI by the End of 2026?
How Many Supply Chain Companies Will Be Using AI by the End of 2026?
While no single source provides an exact global count of supply chain companies using AI by the end of 2026, the available data allows us to estimate the scale of adoption.
Current Adoption and Growth Trends:
- 37% of supply chain companies currently use AI or machine learning in some part of their operations, with 57% planning to adopt within 1–5 years. (Stealth Agents)
- 94% of supply chain companies plan to deploy AI or generative AI for decision support within the next two years. (Open Sky Group)
- Gartner projects that by 2027, 50% of large global enterprises will have AI embedded in their supply chain planning tools, up from under 30% in 2023. (Stealth Agents)
- Logistics sector adoption is at 35%, with AI used across transport, warehousing, and supply chain orchestration. (thinking.inc)
- Healthcare & pharmaceuticals adoption is growing fastest — from 41% to 65% in 12 months. (All About AI)
Estimating the Number:
If we take the global supply chain workforce as a proxy for the number of companies, industry estimates suggest there are tens of thousands to over 100,000 supply chain companies worldwide.
Applying the 37% current adoption rate and the 94% near-term intent-to-deploy figure, the number of companies using AI by the end of 2026 would likely fall in the range of 30,000–70,000+, depending on:
- How quickly "planning to deploy" companies execute
- Sector-specific adoption rates (e.g., logistics at 35%, healthcare at 65% in 2026)
- Whether "using AI" means any AI tool, or only AI embedded in core planning systems
Key Takeaway:
By the end of 2026, a majority of supply chain companies — likely over half — will be using AI in some capacity, with the fastest growth in logistics, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. The exact number will depend on execution speed, but the trend is toward near-universal intent to adopt within the next two years. (Open Sky Group)
Sources
- Stealth Agents — Supply Chain AI Statistics
- Open Sky Group — AI in Supply Chain Adoption Report
- Gartner — Supply Chain Planning AI Forecast (2023–2027)
- thinking.inc — Logistics AI Adoption Data
- All About AI — Healthcare & Pharma AI Adoption Trends
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