By 2027, half of companies with warehouse operations will leverage artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled vision systems to replace traditional scanning-based cycle-counting processes, according to recent research from Gartner, Inc.
Leaders from the research and consulting firm presented the data at the company’s Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo in Barcelona earlier this month, referring to AI-enabled vision systems as a key emerging supply chain technology trend that will “support new business models, augment and automate decision making, and foster ecosystem collaboration.” According to Gartner, AI-enabled vision systems are novel hyper-automation solutions that combine industrial 3D cameras, computer vision software, and advanced AI pattern recognition technologies. These solutions leverage high-resolution vision systems combined with AI’s advanced pattern recognition capabilities and machine learning (ML) to “radically change” the way many manually dependent processes are performed, the company said. Gartner surveyed more than 500 supply chain leaders in late 2023 about supply chain technology and digital transformation issues and found that 20% had already adopted AI-enabled vision systems. The momentum is expected to continue as the cost and performance of cameras improves alongside advances in AI technology—all while companies remain focused on improving supply chain processes, especially in the warehouse. “Companies are looking beyond traditional solutions as pressures mount to continuously improve operational process performance,” according to Carly West, senior director analyst in the Gartner Supply Chain Practice, who spoke at the Symposium. “AI-enabled vision systems will propagate quickly in warehouse operations as the value proposition is so evident; not only for inventory management, but also monitoring that can identify safety issues and ergonomic problems for workers in real time.”
