Gartner warns that demand for AI skills across supply chains is outpacing talent availability

Gartner has warned that organizations are facing mounting competition for AI talent in supply chain roles, as demand ramps up for workers with both domain expertise and AI skills.

According to the analyst firm's latest research, demand for supply chain positions requiring AI capabilities increased by 387% between the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2026 – significantly outpacing growth across the wider labor market.

The findings arise from Gartner's analysis of more than 35 million job postings, including almost 600,000 vacancies across the supply chain. The company said this sharp increase in demand is creating a wide talent gap, with organizations facing longer recruitment timelines and rising hiring costs as they compete for a limited pool of qualified candidates.

"The demand for AI skills in supply chain is accelerating at a rate that far exceeds the broader labor market, creating a widening talent gap that organizations cannot close through hiring alone," explained Tess Frenzel, director analyst in Gartner's supply chain practice.

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Demand was found to be particularly concentrated among experienced professionals, with 58% of AI-related supply chain roles sitting at the mid-senior level. Director-level positions are also overrepresented, the firm added, highlighting a need for experienced professionals capable of combining domain expertise with AI skills.

Addressing the imbalance

The findings build on previous Gartner research that highlighted the need for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) to shift to an autonomous-ready workforce with versatile roles that guide and improve AI systems.

With its latest data, the analyst firm said organizations must now also look beyond traditional recruitment strategies as they seek to build and evolve their AI capabilities. Instead, CSCOs are advised to prioritize internal upskilling of staff while making greater use of entry-level talent to establish a sustainable pipeline of AI expertise.

Despite entry-level roles representing a significant proportion of overall hiring activity, Gartner noted that these positions represent a much smaller share of roles requiring AI skills – highlighting an opportunity for organizations to develop talent internally.

"CSCOs should take a balanced approach by accelerating internal upskilling and more effectively leveraging entry-level talent to build a sustainable pipeline of AI capabilities," added Frenzel.

"Organizations that invest in both experienced professionals and emerging talent will be better positioned to scale AI adoption and prepare their workforce for the future of supply chain."