USC and ASCM launch annual AI benchmark for supply chains

The University of Southern California Marshall Randall R. Kendrick Global Supply Chain Institute and ASCM have launched a yearly benchmark to track agentic AI adoption, investment and impact across global supply chains. The first report is due in December 2026, giving leaders a recurring way to measure maturity, workforce effects and business value.

Why it matters: - Supply chain leaders have lacked a consistent way to measure how fast agentic AI is moving from pilots to enterprise use. - The new benchmark is designed to show where AI is creating value, where adoption is lagging and what capabilities organizations need next. - The findings could shape executive strategy, workforce planning, investment decisions and policy discussions around AI's economic impact.

What happened: - The USC Marshall Randall R. Kendrick Global Supply Chain Institute and the Association for Supply Chain Management launched an annual research initiative focused on agentic AI in supply chains. - The project will track adoption, investment and impact across the global supply chain profession. - USC Marshall and ASCM announced the collaboration in Los Angeles on August 13, 2026. - Nick Vyas and ASCM CEO Abe Eshkenazi are scheduled to discuss the initiative during a special podcast at the 14th Annual Global Supply Chain Excellence Summit on August 13-14, 2026.

The details: - The benchmark will examine emerging use cases, organizational adoption, jobs, functions, processes and business performance. - The research will also assess investment trends, venture capital activity, C-suite and board priorities, and the organizational capabilities needed to turn AI innovation into measurable value. - The annual report will look at how AI is deployed across end-to-end supply chain functions and processes. - The initiative will analyze technology investments, organizational readiness, workforce impacts, and the role of solution providers and consulting partners in AI implementation. - The report is intended to be longitudinal, so organizations can compare year-over-year changes in AI adoption, maturity and impact. - Findings will be shared through annual reports, executive briefings, presentations and industry events. - ASCM said the effort is meant to serve practitioners, academics, technology providers and business leaders seeking to understand AI's changing role in supply chain management. - The inaugural benchmark report is set for release in December 2026. - ASCM is the global pacesetter of organizational transformation, talent development and supply chain innovation. - ASCM says it is the largest association for supply chain and is built on APICS education, certification and career resources. - The USC Marshall Randall R. Kendrick Global Supply Chain Institute focuses on predicting, mitigating and alleviating supply chain disruptions through its global network, faculty and industry experience. - The institute's core pillars are Network, Education and Advanced Research.

Between the lines: - The collaboration pairs academic research depth with ASCM's industry reach, which could make the benchmark more credible than one-off surveys or isolated case studies. - The emphasis on agentic AI signals a shift from general AI discussion to practical deployment inside core supply chain workflows. - By including workforce and board-level questions, the research goes beyond technology adoption and into operating-model change.

What's next: - The podcast at the August summit will give the first public look at the research agenda and goals. - The December 2026 report will provide the first baseline for future annual comparisons. - Future editions are expected to track changes in adoption, maturity and impact across the profession. - The organizations aim to use the benchmark as an ongoing reference for AI strategy, investment and training decisions.

The bottom line: - USC and ASCM are trying to create the supply chain industry's go-to scorecard for agentic AI as the technology moves from experiment to enterprise transformation.