Predictions 2026

For operations leaders, there is constant tension between the reality of today and the vision for the future – an uncomfortable divide that separates the ground-floor truth about current tech stacks, talent, and organizational structure (all the stuff that’s actually running the business day-to-day) from the aspiration of pioneering leaders to forge a path not yet taken that redefines the profession.  

This report is written, with intention, about how CSCOs and COOs can close the gap on this tension in the context of the shifts we predict will occur in 2026. Find our predictions and a selection of related imperatives below.  

Prediction 1: Functional Career Paths in Operations Fade and Orchestration Drives 3x Revenue Growth 

Imperative: Name end-to-end accountable owners for your top three value streams (eg, order-to-delivery, plan-to-produce) with authority over cross-functional decisions and end-to-end KPIs (eg, revenue-at-risk, OTIF, lead-time variance). Invest in early- to mid-career rotation programs to seed end-to-end roles. 

Prediction 2: 5x Increase in Active AI Agents Working in Supply Chains

Imperative: Find an agent that’s working “at scale” in one part of your org and apply it to another. For example, take an agent that’s flagging risk events and auto-emailing suppliers for impacts, and apply that to your R&D department to scan potential customer signals on poor quality or product dissatisfaction. 

Prediction 3: New Sourcing and Planning Roles Shrink by 30% as Agents Grow Profit Margins 

Imperative: Segment the work: map categories and tasks by automation potential, define human-in-the-loop thresholds, and set target touchless rates, cycle times, and award accuracy. 

Prediction 4: Mastering Data Management Is the #1 Operations AI Use Case in 2026…to Enable More AI 

Imperative: Deploy data quality agents to continuously audit, clean, and reconcile supplier, material, and SKU records across ERP, PLM, and CRM systems. Actively reskill data-savvy employees into data stewardship roles (working alongside agents) to prevent a talent pitfall. 

Prediction 5: Visibility Tech up 100% and Workflows Processed at the Edge up 300% 

Imperative: Expand the ROI business case for visibility technology. Track reduction in stockouts, cycle time, and decision latency and quality as success metrics. 

Prediction 6: India Remains a Golden Opportunity as a Hotspot for Manufacturing 

Imperative: Build a connectivity-first network strategy. Prioritize countries with leadership in 5G/6G infrastructure, deep AI/ML talent pools, and high robot density where possible. Use these factors as the first filter for long-term manufacturing bets, acknowledging that productivity gains will increasingly outweigh low-cost labor advantages. 

Prediction 7: Proven Humanoid Workflows in Operations Increase 1000%  

Imperative: Start with labor bottlenecks. Put humanoids to work on tasks that are physically taxing or pose a higher safety risk); GXO is starting with container movement and recycling. 

Prediction 8: Demand for University-Educated Supply Chain Professionals Decline While Vocationally Trained Entry-Level Professionals Increase 

Imperative: Audit job descriptions to make education requirements “preferred” or even replace them with validated skills, certifications, and work-sample expectations. For example, Apple and IBM have already eliminated degree requirements for many roles. And stand-up assessment libraries (eg, job simulations, scenario cases, challenges) aligned to real work. 

Prediction 9: 5% of Fortune 500 Supply Chains Will Secure PPAs for Nuclear Energy or Sign Pilot Commitments for SMRs 

Imperative: Make kWh per unit a new productivity metric. Cut plant energy intensity by 20% this year as a fast path to cost savings and margin protection. 

Onward to 2026 and Beyond 

As complexity and innovation accelerate, COOs live in the tension – efficiency and growth, global and local, execution and planning. The leaders who win won’t eliminate these tradeoffs; they will orchestrate them, turning friction into flow. Our 2026 predictions offer a map, but progress now depends on what you institutionalize next. 

Think big, start small, scale fast isn’t a slogan – it’s the operating model for managing the paradoxes of modern operations. 

Onward to 2026, together.