Resistance is Futile! Procurement……...Assimilate!

Resistance is Futile! Procurement……...Assimilate!

2024 is the year public procurement goes high-tech (again), with AI and blockchain taking centre stage. AI will apparently swoop in to automate tasks, cutting costs and time, while blockchain adds a sprinkle of cryptographic magic to make contracts super secure. It’s finally here—a way to make your supply chain as transparent as that glass door we keep walking into. The public sector is eagerly embracing this new wave of technology, and suppliers better be ready to adapt or get left behind.

For the AI enthusiasts out there, these developments promise to revolutionise procurement processes. AI will handle everything from procurement planning to supplier evaluation, streamlining workflows like never before. Say goodbye to those days of trawling through endless documents. The machines have arrived, and they’re doing it faster, better, and cheaper. Meanwhile, blockchain will ensure that your contracts are locked up tighter than a Borg cube. Sounds perfect, right?

But, of course, there’s a catch. With these shiny new tools comes the not-so-small task of retraining the workforce. The digital revolution isn’t just about plugging in new systems and walking away. Procurement professionals who’ve spent years perfecting “best value” tenders will now need to swap their trusty biros for binary. And who stands to benefit from this retraining frenzy? Of course, the Big 4 consultancies, who’ll be cashing in on those expensive training programs and digital transformation services.

So, while AI and blockchain promise to make procurement a leaner, more efficient machine, the real winners might just be the consultants overseeing this high-tech transformation. As procurement professionals scramble to master data literacy, contract cryptography, and predictive analytics, one thing is for sure: the future is digital, and resistance truly is futile.