Beyond Transformation: How One Retailer is Building the AI-Powered Supply Chain of the Future

Blog / Beyond Transformation: How One Retailer is Building the AI-Powered Supply Chain of the Future

In today’s volatile retail landscape, supply chain resilience is no longer about slow, methodical transformation. It’s about real-time, adaptive transition. One leading retailer has embraced this shift by moving beyond fragmented tools and traditional planning systems – and toward a unified, intelligent supply chain powered by AI agents, digital twins, and Google Cloud.

At the center of this evolution is Planning in a Box – Pi Agent: an agentic AI system that doesn’t just support decision-making – it redefines it. In just six months, the company has shifted from disconnected workflows to an AI-enabled environment where insight flows instantly, and planners operate with a new level of clarity, speed, and curiosity.

From Overhaul to Intelligent Workflow: The Core Shift

Initially, the company set out to revamp its planning processes with a traditional transformation model. But early into the journey, it became clear that a full-scale “rip and replace” wasn’t necessary – or wise.

Instead, the team made a strategic pivot: transition from legacy systems to an AI-driven workflow that integrates deeply across business units. When early project savings freed up budget and time, they fast-tracked the adoption of Pi Agent – an intelligent layer that sits on top of existing systems, driving smarter, faster decisions across the supply chain.

This wasn’t just about automation. It was a shift toward agentic planning – where planners, analysts, and supply chain teams work alongside AI to solve problems dynamically.

Building a Unified Supply Chain with Digital Twins

At the foundation of this transformation is a digital twin – a real-time, data-rich model of the retailer’s entire operational ecosystem.

By consolidating siloed data from systems like SAP and Inflow into a centralized data foundation, the digital twin provides a single source of truth for everything from inventory visibility to forecast accuracy. It eliminates fragmented dashboards and manual reconciliations, enabling teams to ask natural-language questions and receive instant, AI-generated insights.

Want to know if a product bundle is available at a specific location? With Pi Agent, planners no longer sift through spreadsheets – they just ask.

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Conversational AI for Real-Time Supply Chain Intelligence

One of the most impactful innovations is the deployment of conversational AI agents through Agentspace, the interface that brings Pi Agent to life. These agents understand natural language and respond with context-aware insights, enabling anyone – from supply planners to executives – to interact directly with enterprise data.

These AI agents are bilingual (English and Spanish), reducing barriers and making it easy for teams to make informed, fast decisions. Whether it’s rebalancing inventory across warehouses or optimizing complex bundles, conversational AI ensures you’re not reacting – you’re staying ahead.

Tangible Progress: Six Months of Measurable Results

In just half a year, the retailer has made significant headway toward building an AI-powered supply chain foundation:

• Inventory Visibility: 100% complete – The team now has a crystal-clear view of stock across all locations and systems.
  
• Inventory Optimization: 80% complete – Processes are being actively redesigned to support smarter, more efficient allocation.
  
• Demand Forecasting & Sensing: 80% complete – Internal and external signals are being integrated into predictive models.
  
• AI Agent Implementation: 50% complete – Full operational deployment is expected by the end of July.

This isn’t a proof of concept. It’s a functioning, enterprise-grade system reshaping how the company plans and executes.

Empowering People: Changing Culture Alongside Technology

Technology is only half the story. The retailer knew that true success would come from embedding innovation into its culture. That meant removing silos between planning, IT, and supply chain operations and giving teams the tools to evolve with the platform.

• Role Redefinition – Data scientists and analysts are shifting into high-impact roles with AI as their multiplier.
• Continuous Learning – Teams are actively building AI capabilities through Pluto7’s interactive learning journeys and expert-led Google sessions learning to deepen skills and spark new ideas.

This human-centric approach is laying the groundwork for an organization where experimentation, collaboration, and fast learning are the norm.

Scaling the Future: A Platform for Ongoing Innovation

Leadership sees Planning in a Box – Pi Agent not as a one-time upgrade but as a platform for continuous innovation and adaptive planning.

What started with a few divisions is now being considered for global rollout. The long-term vision? A scalable model, powered by Google Cloud and Pluto7, where the AI system constantly uncovers new efficiencies, new insights, and new ways to create value.

This is not just about keeping up. It’s about setting the pace for what a modern, AI-powered supply chain should look like.