In keeping with my previous essays, beginning with An Essay on Operations Management (whose title is an homage to Michel du Montaigne), invited by Chris Tang on the occasion of my being elected a Distinguished Fellow of MSOM Society, that opened (fusing Oscar Wilde with Henry David Thoreau) with
The Importance of Being Playful,
followed by Management Mathematics: The Audacity of BOPE, invited by Aris Syntetos, that began (fusing Oscar Wilde with Barack Obama) with
The Importance of Being Audacious,
and, most recently, invited by Sri Talluri, Implementing Innovations in US Transplantation System, that opened (fusing Oscar Wilde with Benjamin Franklin) with
The Importance of Being Virtuous,
I decided to title the opening of Can AI really transform Real-world Supply Chains anytime soon? (invited by Maxime Cohen and Tinglong Dai for their upcoming edited volume), by fusing Oscar Wilde with Bertrand Russell:
The Importance of Being Skeptical.
Additionally, employing ChatGPT as an AI-assistant, I have attempted to mimic Bertrand Russell’s tone throughout the article, as the abstract hopefully illustrates:
In this skeptical essay, I examine the current infatuation with Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the panacea for the chronic maladies of real-world supply chains. Drawing upon decades of practical experience, I argue that such enthusiasm is, at best, premature and, at worst, dangerously naive. Supply chains, as they exist, are riddled with organizational dysfunctions, fragmented technologies, and deeply human foibles, conditions against which even the most sophisticated algorithms struggle ineffectively. Predictive models fail when volatility overwhelms historical data; Generative systems produce plausible nonsense; Agentic aspirations collapse against the stubborn complexities of reality. What is presented as a rapid and technological revolution is more accurately a slow, laborious, and uncertain evolution that demands tedious infrastructural work, cultural change, and institutional patience. The cult of AI, much like earlier infatuations with RFID and Blockchain, reflects less a rational assessment of technological capability than a recurrent human weakness: the wish to escape effort through magic. Against this, skepticism is the only reasonable posture. Real transformation will come not from marveling at the possibilities, but from grappling with the grim necessities. Through sustained thoughtful management and disciplined execution, AI can transform supply chains over the long arc of time.
I have utilized six figures – paying homage to Richard Feynman’s Six Easy Pieces and Six Not-so Easy Pieces –to make my arguments. Hope you enjoy it!
PS. Looking forward to a fun Sunday evening:
Thank you professor Tayur. This is a needed shot in the arm. I have fought the idea of a ‘silver bullet’ for my entire career in legal operations. I have had good success often being the lone voice that software alone is not the panacea. But the current environment is presenting the hardest challenge to date. With your reminder here, I will continue the important work to counter the scores of CIOs who want the magic answer over the hard work required.
Harrison Flakker, MSIA 2001