More than half of chief supply chain officers are unclear about the return on their artificial intelligence investments, even as AI captures a growing share of supply chain technology spending, according to new Gartner research.

The research and advisory firm said Aug. 5 that 55% of CSCOs lack clarity on AI investment returns, while 67% of supply chain digital investment is now allocated to AI.

MDM Research: In Pursuit of Value – Where 400+ Distributors are Investing in AI Today

Gartner’s findings were based on two surveys. The firm surveyed 394 supply chain professionals at organizations with at least $250 million in annual revenue between November 2025 and February 2026 to examine digital investment allocation. It separately surveyed 135 senior supply chain leaders between January and April 2026 to document AI use cases and assess ROI clarity.

Gartner said the rapid expansion of AI applications has outpaced organizations’ ability to develop the change management practices needed to support adoption. The firm recommended that supply chain leaders create a formal AI change strategy that connects implementation efforts with supply chain objectives and broader enterprise priorities.

“Organizations are getting better at executing change for individual initiatives,” Gartner Senior Principal Analyst Lorraine Gavin said. “The bigger challenge today is deciding where to invest limited change management resources so that they support the business outcomes that matter most. AI is making that decision more important than ever.”

Gartner distinguishes between change methodologies, which provide the steps used to execute individual projects, and change strategies, which determine how organizations allocate limited resources across multiple AI initiatives.

By 2030, Gartner predicts organizations that tailor their change management efforts to the scale, speed and organizational context of each AI initiative will generate twice the ROI of companies that continue using standardized, legacy methodologies.

The firm advised supply chain executives to establish AI change management as a distinct strategic discipline, concentrate resources on high-value applications, customize implementation approaches for different initiatives and develop leaders with business, workforce development and risk management capabilities.