Supply Chain Now

The digital economy may get the headlines, but behind every AI breakthrough, electric vehicle, automated warehouse, and data center is a complex physical supply chain making it possible. In this episode of The Buzz, powered by Toyota Automated Logistics, hosts Scott Luton and Karin Bursa welcome Gaurav Singh Chaudhary, founder and editor of Silicon and Steel, to explore the infrastructure, materials, energy, and global trade relationships powering some of today’s biggest transformations.
From Walmart’s massive investment in automated fulfillment to dramatic shifts in the Southern timber industry, Scott, Karin, and Gaurav break down the connections between changing consumer demand, automation, trade policy, and supply chain strategy. They examine the potential impact of semiconductor tariffs on AI infrastructure, why nuclear energy’s fuel supply could become a critical bottleneck, and how AI and EV manufacturers are increasingly competing for the same electronics and manufacturing capacity.
Along the way, the conversation highlights an important reality: the AI economy isn’t purely digital. Its growth depends on chips, energy, batteries, data centers, manufacturing capacity, logistics networks, and resilient global supply chains.
Key Takeaways
Speed must be designed into the network. Walmart’s next-generation fulfillment investment demonstrates why companies can’t simply compensate for poor network design with more expensive transportation.
Automation is changing the nature of warehouse work. As fulfillment processes become increasingly automated, traditional manual roles are giving way to jobs focused on maintaining, operating, and optimizing technology.
Supply chains operate on dramatically different timelines. Timber can take decades to mature while demand, tariffs, interest rates, and trade policies can change within months, creating significant challenges for long-term planning.
The AI economy has a very physical foundation. Chips, servers, power generation, cooling systems, batteries, and data centers all create supply constraints that can determine how quickly AI infrastructure scales.
Nuclear energy presents a supply chain bottleneck. The fuel required by emerging small nuclear reactors creates sourcing and geopolitical risks that extend far beyond simply building more reactors.
AI and automotive supply chains are increasingly interconnected. EVs and AI infrastructure compete for electronics, chips, circuit boards, batteries, and manufacturing capacity while AI demand is also creating new opportunities for automotive battery investments.
Context turns data into actionable intelligence. Supply chain-specific AI must understand industry terminology, relationships, workflows, and business rules, not simply process general-purpose data.
Supply chain leaders can no longer look at AI, energy, manufacturing, trade, logistics, and infrastructure as separate conversations. This episode connects the dots between them. Tune in for practical insights into how automation, tariffs, shifting demand, energy constraints, and emerging technologies are reshaping global supply chains and why understanding the physical infrastructure behind the digital economy will be essential for navigating what comes next.
Additional Links & Resources:
Toyota Automated Logistics: https://toyota-automated-logistics.com/
With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-30-Aug-2026
From Data Chaos To Decision Intelligence: How AI Continues To Reshape Logistics: https://bit.ly/ExecExchange-MattMcKinney-Loop
Meet Hunter Wendelstedt, MLB’s next Ángel Hernández in the making: https://bit.ly/MLB-ABS-MakingTraction
Walmart to build $1.3B fulfillment center in Georgia: https://bit.ly/Walmart-Invests-in-GA
Timber Was Gold in the South—Until a Market Collapse Crushed the Forest Economy: https://on.wsj.com/3T96zox
Another potential headache for US data centers — Trump tariffs: https://politi.co/4gFffut
West Wants Nuclear for AI. Russia Controls the Fuel: https://bit.ly/3Uigrg6
Silicon & Steel: https://siliconandsteel.co/
Connect with Gaurav on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsc/
Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/
Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/
Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
Learn more about Blue Yonder Cognitive Solutions: http://blueyonder.com/cognitive
WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K
WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z
WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem
This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Karin Bursa, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/thebuzz-from-silicon-to-steel-supply-chains-behind-ai

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI adoption is not really a technology question. It's a trust question, and trust levels shift dramatically depending on where a company operates and who its customers are.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and co-host Bill Huber, retired VP CFO at VELUX, speak with Theodora Lau, founder of Unconventional Ventures, about trust and AI adoption, open banking and data interoperability, fragmented data versus bad data, workforce retraining, and the lessons global supply chains can borrow from fintech.

Theo explains how to tell healthy friction from harmful friction, treat fragmented data differently from bad data, judge AI initiatives by outcomes instead of token usage, and build systems that keep people, not service providers, in control of their own data.



Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(09:41) Theo Lau's path from telecom to fintech innovation

(17:35) Why trust, not technology, drives AI adoption

(20:17) What GDPR and the EU AI Act reveal about governance and trust

(28:04) Lessons supply chain can borrow from open banking and fintech

(38:27) What separates real AI transformation from bolting AI onto broken processes

(43:13) The difference between fragmented data and bad data

(54:16) A JD Power stat reshaping how consumers ask financial questions



Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Theodora Lau: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vineetvashishta/

Learn more about Unconventional Ventures: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billhuberatlanta/

Connect with Bill Huber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billhuberatlanta/

Learn more about VELUX: http://www.velux.com

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

Learn more about Blue Yonder Cognitive Solutions: http://blueyonder.com/cognitive

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z

WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem



This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Bill Huber, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/what-global-supply-chain-can-learn-from-fintech-world-1630

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An AI agent can finish a task and still violate the rules that matter most. In supply chain, that gap can affect cost limits, approved suppliers, compliance requirements, safety protocols, and escalation paths.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton speaks with Vin Vashishta, CEO and AI strategist at V-Squared, about intent contracts, audit trails, workflow reorchestration, tokenomics, semantic layers, and evidence-based AI strategy.

Vin explains how to evaluate AI by the value it creates, budget for recurring usage costs, work with imperfect information, and require consultants to connect every recommendation to evidence, risk, mitigation, and business-specific ROI.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(05:38) Intent contracts and their role in AI agent management

(08:38) The need for AI audit trails in supply chain

(11:10) CIO considerations for managing AI demand at scale

(14:21) Gaps in workflow reorchestration and value quantification

(17:00) Lessons from the semantic layer meme on imperfect data

(19:36) The outcomes an AI strategy should deliver for a specific business

(25:03) AI training programs generating the strongest market response

(26:49) Ways to follow Vin and learn more

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Vin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vineetvashishta/

Learn more about V-Squared: https://vsquaredai.com/

Vin’s LinkedIn Post about Managing AI Agents: https://bit.ly/Managing-AI-Agents

The cost of intelligence: How CIOs can manage AI demand at scale: https://mck.co/3TUD3mz

Vin’s LinkedIn Post about the Cost of Intelligence: https://bit.ly/Vin-on-CIO-Managing-AI

Vin’s LinkedIn Post on The Semantic Layers: https://bit.ly/Vin-on-Semantic-Layers

Vin’s LinkedIn Post on AI Strategy: https://bit.ly/Vin-on-AI-Strategy-2026

Vin’s Training & Certification Classes: https://datascience.vin/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z

WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem

Gartner Announces 2026 Rankings of the Global Supply Chain Top 25: https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-06-17-gartner-announces-2026-rankings-of-the-global-supply-chain-top-25

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/ai-agents-semantic-layers-cio-leadership-1629

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of The Buzz, powered by Toyota Automated Logistics, hosts Scott Luton and Karin Bursa welcome Philip Vervloesem, Chief Commercial and Markets Officer at OMP, for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces reshaping global supply chains. From extreme weather and transportation disruptions to China's rapidly expanding automotive industry, the team explores today's biggest supply chain headlines before diving into AI, decision velocity, always-on planning, and the evolving role of supply chain professionals.

Supply chain leaders have more data, technology, and intelligence at their fingertips than ever before, but the real competitive advantage comes from turning those insights into the right decisions faster. Scott, Karin, and Philip examine how organizations can use scenario planning, external market signals, AI agents, and connected decision-making to respond more effectively to disruption and uncertainty. They also explore why successful AI adoption isn't simply about automation or replacing people. Instead, the future belongs to organizations that combine intelligent technology with human judgment, collaboration, trust, and business context.

Key Takeaways

Resilience happens before disruption. Scenario planning and decision intelligence give organizations more options while there is still time to act.

External signals matter. Weather, climate patterns, market conditions, and other syndicated data can help companies anticipate disruptions and continuously refine supply chain plans.

Decision velocity is becoming a competitive advantage. Leading organizations aren't simply collecting more data—they're connecting data to decisions and executing those decisions across the enterprise faster.

Agentic AI's greatest opportunity is augmentation. AI agents can identify issues, evaluate scenarios, coordinate information, and recommend actions, while people provide judgment, context, governance, and leadership.

Always-on planning is changing traditional planning cycles. Planning isn't disappearing, but waiting for weekly or monthly cycles to respond to change increasingly will.

The planner of the future needs strong human skills. Business knowledge, communication, influence, collaboration, storytelling, and the ability to navigate trade-offs will become even more valuable as technology advances.

The future of supply chain planning isn't simply about moving faster—it's about making better decisions with greater confidence. As AI, intelligent planning platforms, and always-on capabilities continue to evolve, successful organizations will be those that connect technology with human expertise and turn complexity into action. Tune in to hear how leaders can prepare now for a more adaptive, resilient, and decision-driven supply chain.

Additional Links & Resources:

Toyota Automated Logistics: https://toyota-automated-logistics.com/

Enterprise Unleashed: The Biggest Lessons from 2026 So Far: https://streamyard.com/watch/CBk6F4Dgtwk3

The Peak Readiness Index Report 2026: https://bit.ly/Peak-Readiness-Report

Low Rhine levels disrupting German industry: https://reut.rs/45BdaL8

Corporate concern over El Nino hits multi-year high: https://reut.rs/4xPGVnI

There Aren’t Enough Ships to Handle China’s Booming Car Exports: https://on.wsj.com/4bXfZd8

OMP: https://omp.com/

Connect with Philip on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipvervloesem/

Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/

Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z

WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Karin Bursa, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit the dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-decision-velocity-ai-agents-future-supply-chain-planning-1628

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Soft freight demand would normally suggest plenty of available trucking capacity. Q2 2026 told a different story.

 

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton is joined by Karin Bursa, Bobby Holland, Director of Freight Business Analytics at U.S. Bank, and Dr. Jason Miller, Eli Broad Endowed Professor of Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University, to unpack the latest U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index. They examine why shipments remained subdued while shipper spending climbed sharply, including a nearly 28% year-over-year national increase in spending.

 

The conversation covers regional freight conditions, tightening capacity, housing weakness, import activity, fuel costs, and the surge in physical infrastructure supporting AI and data centers. Bobby and Jason also share what supply chain leaders should watch as the market moves through the second half of 2026.

 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(06:51) The central theme of the Q2 2026 Freight Payment Index

(09:29) How the Freight Payment Index works

(11:29) National freight market outlook

(16:40) West region: Strongest annual growth

(20:49) Southwest: The largest volume-spending disconnect

(23:59) Midwest: Data centers offset softer freight demand

(27:18) Housing market headwinds

(30:10) Northeast: Flat volume and rising spending

(33:41) Southeast: Data centers drive freight growth

(37:14) AI’s rapidly expanding physical supply chain

(44:42) Freight market predictions for the months ahead

(48:55) Where to find the Freight Payment Index

(50:34) Karin’s biggest takeaway for supply chain leaders

 

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Dr. Jason Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-miller-32110325/

Connect with Bobby Holland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-holland-4a9355/

Connect with Karin Bursa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinbursa/

Learn more about Eli Broad College of Business: https://broad.msu.edu/

Learn more about U.S. Bank: https://www.usbank.com/index.html

Learn more about U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://www.usbank.com/corporate-and-commercial-banking/industry-expertise/transportation/freight-payment-insights.html

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z

WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem

 

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Karin Bursa and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/analysis-q2-2026-us-bank-freight-payment-index-1627

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.