Why Data Readiness Determines AI Success
The article argues that AI success in procurement hinges on data readiness, emphasizing clean, structured, and connected data. It highlights the concept of decision traces and contextual intelligence as essential for AI to understand why decisions are made. Governance in an agentic AI environment shifts from manual control to policy‑based guardrails, while system fragmentation remains a major barrier. Ultimately, integrated, autonomous platforms will transform procurement professionals into strategic orchestrators.
Procurement News — May 27, 2026
Target announced Jeff England as EVP and chief global supply chain and logistics officer, tasking him with accelerating speed, reliability and precision across its network. Atmus named Kevin Carpenter senior vice president and chief supply chain officer to drive a...
ProcureTech Pulse — May 20, 2026
Euna Solutions introduced Solicitation Advisor, an AI‑driven tool that reviews public‑sector RFP drafts for clarity and compliance. Ramp unveiled a fleet of AI agents that automate the entire procurement lifecycle, from request intake to contract compliance. Green Cabbage launched the...
AI as a Defining Force in Procurement Evolution
Artificial intelligence has moved from experimental pilots to a core capability in procurement, with about 75 % of chief procurement officers expecting it to reshape operations. Executives liken the impact to the internet era, signaling AI as a strategic imperative rather...
Procurement News — May 6, 2026
Masco Corporation reshuffled its procurement leadership, promoting Arun Iyer to Vice President, Chief Supply Chain Officer and adding Steven Nikolopoulos as Chief Procurement Officer. Vertiv appointed Frieda He as its new CPO, bringing experience overseeing $3 billion in spend. Flowers Foods...
The Front Door Problem: A Deep Dive Into Zycus Merlin Intake (Part One)
Zycus unveiled Merlin Intake, an AI‑driven intake management tool embedded within its Source‑to‑Pay suite. The solution uses conversational language to capture purchase requests, automatically extracts key details, and enforces policy without requiring users to fill forms. By residing on the...
Winning 2026: The CPO 45-Second Briefing – “AI Skill-Set Deficit: The Talent Shift”
Ardent Partners founder Andrew Bartolini unveiled a new 45‑second video series, Procurement 2026, highlighting the AI skill‑set deficit facing procurement teams. The latest episode, “The AI Skill‑Set Deficit: The Talent Shift,” warns that a shortage of AI‑literate professionals threatens the sector’s...
Inside Ivalua NOW 2026: Procurement Enters the Agentic AI Era
Ivalua’s NOW 2026 conference announced the launch of IVA Studio, a no‑code environment for building custom AI agents, signaling a shift from generative AI “assistants” to agentic “co‑workers” in procurement. The company framed the move as essential for navigating geopolitical...
The Future of Spend Management: Connecting Procurement and AP Through End-to-End Orchestration
Enterprises are moving beyond siloed procurement and accounts payable toward an end‑to‑end intake‑to‑pay model. Orchestration links request intake, sourcing, contract creation, and invoice processing into a continuous workflow, eliminating the data gaps that cause invoice exceptions. The model promises higher...
Winning 2026: The CPO 45-Second Briefing – “Procurement Platforms Become Systems of Business Insight”
Andrew Bartolini of Ardent Partners released a 45‑second video in his Procurement 2026 series, highlighting that procurement platforms are evolving into systems that deliver business insight, not just transaction processing. He notes that high cost of capital and supplier distress require...
NEW WEBINAR: AI Rising 2026: The State of Procurement AI
Ardent Partners and Zycus are hosting a webinar on April 30 to unveil the "AI Rising 2026: The State of Procurement AI" report. The session will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping procurement, from data analysis to supplier engagement. Researchers will...
Winning 2026: The CPO 45-Second Briefing – “The Genesis of Autonomy: Procurement’s Year Zero”
Andrew Bartolini, founder of Ardent Partners, is debuting a new 45‑second video series titled “Procurement 2026: Big Trends and Predictions.” The first episode, “The Genesis of Autonomy: Procurement’s Year Zero,” spotlights the emergence of autonomous sourcing platforms and examines how judicial...
NEW WEBINAR: Beyond Invoice: AI, Payments, and Risk in Modern AP
The upcoming Emburse webinar, "Beyond Invoice: AI, Payments, and Risk in Modern AP," will be held on April 16 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET. Speakers Andrew Bartolini of Ardent Partners and Landon Gordon of Emburse will discuss how finance leaders...
Procurement Predictions 2026 (Part Two): Spend Visibility to Decision Augmentation
Procurement leaders are shifting from traditional spend visibility to AI‑enabled decision augmentation, where platforms not only report spend but also recommend next actions. Advanced analytics ingest real‑time supplier, market, and demand data to model scenarios and guide procurement choices. This...
Winning 2026: The CPO 45-Second Briefing – “The Low-Grade Fever: Persistent Inflation”
Andrew Bartolini, founder of Ardent Partners, has launched a new 45‑second video series titled “Procurement 2026: Big Trends and Predictions.” The inaugural episode, “The Low‑Grade Fever: Persistent Inflation,” warns that inflation will remain modest yet enduring, pressuring cost structures across supply...