AI Helps Future-Proof Supply Chains In Australia And New Zealand, New Report Shows
A growing number of businesses in Australia and New Zealand are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to make their supply chains smarter, faster, and more resilient, according to a new report by research firm IDC, commissioned by supply chain technology leader Blue Yonder.
The report, AI-Driven Orchestration for the Modern Supply Chain, surveyed hundreds of supply chain leaders across the Asia-Pacific region. It found that organisations in Australia and New Zealand are rapidly embracing AI and automation to deal with challenges such as supply disruptions, rising customer expectations, and global market complexity.
'Businesses are no longer relying on outdated systems or reacting to problems after they happen,' said Antonio Boccalandro, president for APAC at Blue Yonder. 'They are now investing in technologies that allow them to predict issues, respond quickly, and stay competitive.'
Key areas of focus for businesses in the region include:
Expanding and diversifying suppliers to reduce risks (a strategy known as multi-shoring)
Strengthening cybersecurity to protect digital operations
Speeding up product development and delivery
Improving customer responsiveness and service
The report also highlights growing interest in using generative AI — the same type of AI behind tools like ChatGPT — to improve warehouse operations, employee productivity, and supply chain design.
One example cited in the report is Silk Logistics, an Australian company that has successfully used automation to upgrade its warehouse systems and improve customer service.
Tech-Driven Resilience Across the Region
The IDC report found that nearly all surveyed businesses in Asia-Pacific identified visibility and agility as top priorities — in other words, knowing what's happening in their supply chain and being able to act quickly. In countries across Southeast Asia, organisations are also adopting technologies like cloud computing and robotics to reduce environmental impact and improve coordination.
Stephanie Krishnan, associate vice president at IDC Asia/Pacific, said that successful businesses are moving away from siloed systems and toward connected platforms that allow them to make better decisions in real time.
'Unifying data and building collaborative digital networks will be the key to staying competitive in the years ahead,' Krishnan said.
Looking Ahead
The report arrives at a time when businesses globally are grappling with supply chain volatility, economic uncertainty, and calls for greater sustainability. It suggests that those willing to invest in intelligent, integrated technologies will be better equipped to weather future disruptions.
The full report findings were presented during a webinar featuring IDC and Blue Yonder, where experts discussed the future of supply chains in the Asia-Pacific region.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
13 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
AI use intensifying scams: Netsafe
Artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling fraudsters to devise ever-slicker romance scams, Netsafe says. The online safety agency recently presented updated resources as part of its Get Set Up for Safety programme, aimed at protecting older people from an upswing in sophisticated digital cons. Business development manager Sarah Bramhall said scammers might spend weeks or months building online relationships before seeking money. "Scammers most often use the techniques or the emotions of trust, fear and hope, usually in a combination. "So they will tap into human emotions." Exploiting lonely or companionship-seeking victims, scammers try to stop them sharing information with friends or family. "They will try to keep them isolated so that they don't tell anyone, because obviously otherwise friends and family will pick up on something happening." At some point the scammer will begin requesting money, sometimes large amounts or gradually increasing amounts. These requests could be couched in ways that played on people's natural desire to be kind or helpful. "Usually it presents itself in something like a medical requirement, they need to travel, they have got family that are sick. "Those sorts of things that really play on emotions." Kind-hearted people who felt they had developed a bond would feel like they wanted to help that person out. "Most of the time, people really don't recognise that they are being scammed in those scenarios. "It is really quite hard for even support workers and family to get them to come to that realisation because they suffer heartbreak, essentially." Generative AI tools were enabling scammers to polish their English, generate fake images or create believable back-stories. Poor grammar or language used to be a red flag that it was a scam message. "That is getting harder to pick up on now," she said. While there were many ways AI was opening up useful and beneficial possibilities, it was important to be mindful of some of the drawbacks of AI, in particular large language models such as ChatGPT, which could create "hallucinations" that could seem plausible but were falsehoods. "I just say 'sometimes AI can lie'." Netsafe has refreshed its portfolio of resources that can help organisations and individuals navigate the online digital realm safely. The material tackles challenges such as spotting scams, safer online dating, privacy settings, securing accounts and verifying requests for personal information. Get Set Up for Safety offers a wide range of resources, including checklists, fact sheets, videos and interactive activities. • To find out more, visit
1News
a day ago
- 1News
Australian warship accidentally blocked radio, internet to parts of NZ
An Australian warship visiting Wellington accidentally caused internet and radio outages across parts of New Zealand earlier this week. The incident occurred when HMAS Canberra, one of Australia's largest warships, sailed along the country's coast Wednesday morning, en route to Wellington to visit the city. According to 9News, telecommunication companies had reported interruptions as early as 2am. An Australian Defence Force spokesperson told the Australian outlet that crew aboard the ship became aware the vessel's navigation radar was interfering with Wi-Fi in Taranaki and Marlborough. "On becoming aware, HMAS Canberra changed frequencies, rectifying the interference. There are no ongoing disruptions." ADVERTISEMENT Services had returned to normal by the time the ship docked in the capital on Thursday. An NZDF spokesperson told 1News: "The issue was reported to the New Zealand Defence Force. We contacted the Australian Defence Force and the issue was resolved." It had no further comment on the nature of the event. Matthew Harrison, founder and owner of Taranaki internet provider Primo, wrote on LinkedIn that the outage "wasn't just a blip". "It was full-scale, military-grade radar triggering built-in safety protocols designed to protect airspace… and it rolled across our network in sync with the ship's movement. "We've never seen anything like it here before," he wrote. "It's not every day a warship takes your gear offline." The vessel, an amphibious assault ship, can carry and launch numerous helicopters from its deck. ADVERTISEMENT It docked in Wellington with the Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, onboard. Barr said the visit reaffirmed "deep and growing ties" between the two capitals. 'Our sister city relationship with Wellington is one of genuine friendship and mutual respect. It's built on a shared commitment to sustainability, creativity, and inclusive growth." Its delegation and crew participated in several community activities in Wellington, including assisting a soup kitchen and cleaning up selected coastal areas and tracks around the city. 'This week's celebration reflects the strength and significance of our city's relationship with Canberra, further deepening the bonds of friendship and collaboration between us,' Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau said about the visit. 'Our partnership is a source of great pride and a key element in Wellington's international engagements, fostering a continued exchange of ideas, culture, and goodwill.'
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Butter proving to be a popular fundraiser
While the skyrocketing price of butter may be leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of some, one non-profit saw a golden opportunity. Southland Paws Rescue founder Amy Greig said the organisation made $1 profit on each of the 5560 blocks of butter it sold in its latest fundraiser. Ms Greig said it was the first time it had sold butter and it had been the most successful fundraiser to date. The orders for the 250g Westland Gold blocks started rolling in thick and fast after a post about it was placed on their social media page. "Word of mouth got around and people started ordering." Jingo and cheese rolls had been used to raise revenue in the past, but the butter was less work and easier to sell. One buyer ordered $1000 of butter while ironically, 500 blocks were ordered by staff from a local dairy processing factory. Ms Greig said several orders had been received from people who made cakes for others. Prices were initially marginally lower than supermarkets, but even from the time they first started receiving orders at the start of May, Westgold community fundraising prices had risen from $4 to $5.15. "I'd rather put that dollar that we got back into a local organisation for what we do . . . than letting that supermarket profit that dollar." Orders had to be prepaid and picked up once the delivery had been made because of the logistical challenge of storing pallet loads of butter. Funds raised paid for the care of the multitudes of animals the charity looked after throughout the year. While they had a good relationship with their vet, their bill still needed to be paid. Some animal healthcare expenses ran more than $1000. Leithfield School in Canterbury sold 10,000 blocks of the golden dairy bars in a recent fundraiser, RNZ said. Invercargill's Kaye's Bakery had been importing Australian butter by 10-tonne shipments to make its biscuits. Kaye's Bakery owner Luella Penniall said three years ago the company was paying $11 per kg — now it was up to $15. Stats New Zealand data shows prices have increased more than 65% in the 12 months ending at April 2025. Stats NZ also said dairy prices were the main driver for food price increases — increasing the food price index by 3.7%. The average cost for 500g of butter was $7.42, 12 months ago. Butter hit a record high of $7992 a tonne early in May before falling to $7821 in mid-May. By Toni McDonald
