CPO Crystal Ball: Top Priorities for 2026

Speakers

Summary

Our CPO Crystal Ball webinar brought together industry experts to discuss what’s reshaping procurement in 2026. From rising workloads and tighter resources to shifting priorities and fast-moving markets, the conversation focused on how teams can get earlier visibility, work more efficiently, and make better decisions with the help of AI. These insights offer a closer look at where procurement is headed and what leading organizations are preparing for now.

Key Takeaways

Earlier visibility is becoming increasingly important

Procurement teams need clearer insight earlier in the cycle. As markets move faster, companies are shifting toward always-available intelligence that shows where opportunity exists across the business rather than just what historical data reflects.

Volatility is changing how teams prepare

Relying on backward-looking pricing isn’t enough. Teams are moving toward more proactive, data-driven contract management and more visibility into supply, cost, and risk.

The productivity gap continues to widen

Procurement workloads have increased every year since 2020, even as team sizes haven’t. The pressure to deliver more with less is shaping 2026 priorities, including supply continuity, cost reduction, stronger analytics capabilities, improved agility, and faster cycle times.

AI is the primary lever to close that gap

Companies are increasingly investing in data analytics, reporting, and AI-enabled technologies. Early deployments, including generative AI, agentic systems, machine learning, and predictive AI, are already meeting or exceeding expectations.

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