Samsara Research Details AI Revolution in Physical Operations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already revolutionizing how supply chain organizations operate — and how leaders are transforming their operations and unlocking new efficiencies. In fact, 94% of operations leaders believe their organization needs to invest in AI technology solutions to keep up in today’s environment.

"AI is everywhere, and physical operations leaders are quickly embracing it,” says Evan Welbourne, head of AI and data at Samsara. “When used strategically, advances in AI can bring meaningful change to the companies that power our global economy. For example, it can reduce costs, boost efficiency, and even save workers' lives in the field.” 

Key takeaways:

• While some industries are slower to adopt AI, organizations within physical operations are embracing it. Nearly all (94%) of leaders believe AI technology is vital to keep up, and 87% of organizations say they plan to increase investments in AI within the next 12 months.
• More than half (51%) of leaders surveyed say their organization is already using AI, and reported benefits include improved safety (45%) and employee productivity (42%). Leadership roles are not the only ones within these organizations that are bullish on AI–90% of those already using AI say their employees feel positive about it.
• Physical operations leaders are not cutting corners. Of those already using AI or planning to in the next 1-2 years, 58% are implementing privacy and data protection measures. For the 63% of organizations that plan to adopt AI solutions created by external technology partners, security is not to be sacrificed for functionality. 52% of leaders said they care most about a partner’s ability to integrate with existing systems, and security and privacy compliance (51%).

“Not all AI solutions are created equal,” says Welbourne. “You have to be able to trust the system, and that means finding a technology partner who not only has a proven track record with responsible innovation, but who also deeply understands your business and the challenges you’re up against.”