Supply chain trends 2026: from disruption to adaptation

Summary: 2026 will test how adaptable supply chains truly are. Infios experts all agree: disruption is here to stay. But the winners are those who can reconfigure faster than conditions change. 

The coming year will mark a decisive shift from chasing efficiency to building intelligent, modular systems that think, learn and adapt in real time.

After years of global volatility, the rules of supply-chain performance are changing once again. Cost efficiency alone no longer guarantees competitiveness; what matters now is how quickly networks can sense change and act on it.

 Based on Infios’s experts and their industry knowledge, seven recurring themes emerged - each signaling a shift toward supply chains that are smarter, faster and designed for constant flux. 

1. Supply chain disruption is the new baseline

2026 won’t bring fewer shocks, just smarter responses. 

As Eugene Amigud, Chief Innovation Officer at Infios, explained, “Disruption is no longer an excuse, it’s the norm.” Whether triggered by tariffs, climate events or viral demand spikes from social platforms, supply chains must now assume volatility is constant.

The focus is shifting from reaction to anticipation. 

Networks that can sense, decide and act before disruption cascades downstream will define the next era of operational excellence.

Why does this matter?

Resilient supply chains aren’t those that avoid disruption; they’re the ones that recover faster, learn continuously and convert instability into foresight.

3. AI in supply chain: from hype to use case

2026 will be the year AI moves beyond buzzwords into measurable outcomes.

Across every discussion, Infios leaders agreed that AI only adds value when it serves a clear, operational purpose. “AI for the sake of AI just makes a bad product,” noted Richard Stewart, EVP of Global Product and Industry Strategy.

At Infios, this means embedding AI agents where they can make a tangible difference such as automating load-status checks, accelerating order orchestration or predicting exceptions before they happen.

Why does this matter?

The supply chains that succeed won’t be the ones that implement AI fastest, but the ones that integrate it where it matters most - in decisions that move goods, not dashboards.

6. Supply chain automation evolves: the rise of augmentative intelligence

Automation has moved beyond being about replacing people; it’s about amplifying them.

AI-driven agents now handle repetitive, transactional tasks such as ETA updates or document verification, freeing human teams to focus on exception management and higher-value analysis.

This marks the rise of augmentative intelligence. Technology that enhances human judgment rather than eliminates it.  

It’s how supply chains can scale without burning out their workforce.

7. Purpose over platforms: re-defining AI and supply chain innovation

The most successful organizations are shifting from technology-first to problem-first strategies.

95% of AI projects fail because companies chase technology before defining the outcome. 

Infios and a growing cohort of industry leaders are switching that order to lead with the problem, co-innovating with customers and measuring success in weeks, not years. 

This matters because technology doesn’t drive transformation; clarity of purpose does. The question isn’t “What can AI do? ”  it’s “What should it solve?”