Blue Yonder: Survey Shows Supply Chain Confidence is Falling

A global study from Blue Yonder suggests confidence in supply chains is slipping, even as investment in technology continues to rise.

The company’s 2026 Supply Chain Compass report highlights a growing gap between ambition and readiness across the industry.

Based on a survey of nearly 700 senior supply chain professionals across North America and Europe, the findings show that fewer leaders believe their organisations are prepared for the future compared to 2025.

Ongoing disruption, combined with the pressure to make faster decisions, is creating a more complex operating environment.

While many organisations are increasing their use of artificial intelligence and data platforms, the report suggests that technology alone is not closing the readiness gap. Instead, leaders are facing what the study describes as a mix of disruption, complexity and decision pressure.

“Supply chain leaders are being asked to make more decisions, more frequently and with less time available,” says Duncan Angove, CEO at Blue Yonder.

“In supply chain management, confidence is not simply a mindset. It is built on visibility, unified data and practical AI that allows teams to make good decisions quickly and at scale.

“Blue Yonder enables companies to link together planning, sourcing and execution functions so they can reduce decision fatigue and respond to disruptions.”

Optimistic leaders are investing

The research points to a divide between more and less confident organisations. Leaders who are more optimistic about the future are more likely to invest in technology, take an end-to-end view of their operations and break down internal silos.

Those that are less confident are more likely to struggle with fragmented systems and slower decision-making.

At the same time, priorities are shifting. Improving efficiency and productivity remains the top focus for supply chain leaders, but faster decision-making has rapidly climbed the agenda.

This reflects the increasing pace of disruption and the need to respond in real time.

Key findings from the report include:

66% of leaders say they are ready for the future, down from 73% last year
Only 48% of less optimistic leaders feel prepared, compared to 87% of more optimistic peers
35% cite improving efficiency and productivity as their top priority for 2026
Faster decision-making has risen sharply as a strategic priority
Just 20% can respond to geopolitical disruption within 24 hours
38% take more than a week to respond to geopolitical events
51% have already adopted unified data platforms
45% are using predictive AI, while 24% are using generative AI

Geopolitical disruption remains the most difficult challenge. While organisations report being better prepared for operational or technology-related issues, many still lack the ability to respond quickly to global events.

AI adoption still uneven

The report also shows that AI adoption is accelerating, particularly in predictive and generative tools.

However, adoption is uneven, and early-stage technologies such as agentic AI are still in limited use. This suggests that while companies are investing, many are still in the early phases of transformation.

The findings point to a supply chain sector in transition. Confidence is not disappearing, but it is becoming more uneven. Organisations that combine data, visibility and integrated processes are pulling ahead, while others risk falling behind.