The Autonomous Era Is Here: What Supply Chain Leaders Need to Do Next

The autonomous business era is no longer a future-state vision. It's already reshaping how supply chains operate.
In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, you'll hear from Gartner Senior Director Analyst Lindsay Azim as she delivers a preview of the 2026 Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo Opening Keynote. Drawing on both Gartner insights and real-world examples, she explores why success isn't about implementing AI first, fastest, or even best. It's about preparing supply chains for a future where people and machines work together to drive agility, resilience and growth.

You'll learn:
• Why Gartner believes the autonomous business era is already underway
• How leaders should balance short-term AI value with long-term transformation
• The difference between an automation mindset and an autonomous mindset
• What autonomous-ready operations and workforces look like in practice

Dig deeper:
• Register to attend a Gartner Supply Chain conference
• Download the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25
• See why Gartner is the world authority on AI

Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(01:31) A new business era begins
(05:18) Defining autonomous business
(07:10) What autonomous supply chains look like
(09:35) The rise of machine customers
(12:22) Success isn't about AI first
(17:25) Exploitation versus exploration