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