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Pi Agent: Your Personal GPT for Supply Chain Planning

July 17, 2024 | Tarun Kumar

Blog / Pi Agent: Your Personal GPT for Supply Chain Planning

You rely on historical data to forecast demand. It’s been the backbone of your planning for years. But have you noticed the limitations? Historical data is inherently backward-looking. It assumes that the past is a reliable indicator of the future. But in today’s fast-paced world, this assumption often fails.

Consider the impact of sudden market shifts. These could be due to geopolitical events, pandemics, or even changes in consumer behavior. Historical data can’t predict these disruptions. It doesn’t adapt to new trends or anomalies quickly enough. This lag can result in inaccurate forecasts, leading to overstock or stockouts.

Your Current Methods of Forecasting Need to Evolve

The blue line represents the forecasted demand, while the red line shows the actual demand. This data is derived by integrating external datasets from Google Trends into Planning in a Box, using a forecasting technique known as Demand Sensing.

Moreover, traditional forecasting methods struggle with the complexity and volume of data available today. They can’t easily integrate diverse data sources like social media trends, weather forecasts, or economic indicators. This integration is crucial for a holistic view of the supply chain.

Think about the computational limitations. Advanced statistical models require significant processing power and expertise to implement and maintain. Many systems are not equipped to handle this, leading to oversimplified models that fail to capture the nuances of your supply chain.

Evolution of Demand Planners: From Forecasters to Orchestrators

Gartner predicts that by 2025, demand planners will shift from forecasting to orchestrating data. What does this mean for you? It means your role is evolving. Instead of solely predicting demand, you’ll manage and interpret vast amounts of data from various sources.

This shift requires a new skill set. You need to be adept at data integration, advanced analytics, and real-time decision-making. The goal is to move from reactive to proactive planning. Instead of responding to disruptions, you’ll anticipate them and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Orchestration involves more than just data management. It means understanding the interdependencies within your supply chain. You need to know how a change in one area affects the entire system. This holistic view allows for more informed and agile decision-making.

You will also collaborate more with other departments. Sales, marketing, finance—all these areas generate valuable data that impacts demand planning. As an orchestrator, you’ll need to integrate this information seamlessly into your planning processes.

Why You Need A Personal GPT for Supply Chain Planning

You’ve probably used large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT or Gemini. They’re great for general tasks, but you’ve likely noticed their limitations in your planning processes. They provide generic responses and sometimes even hallucinate, offering information that doesn’t make sense in your context.

Imagine if these challenges could be solved. What if you had a personal GPT designed specifically for supply chain planning? A personal GPT is a specialized LLM that understands your business context. It’s trained on your enterprise data, grasping the intricacies of your supply chain.

A Personal GPT can handle your planning dimensions and complexities. It knows your business logic and can integrate data from various sources. It’s not just a tool; it’s an assistant that helps you make better decisions.

Consider how much time you spend analyzing data and generating forecasts. A Personal GPT can automate these tasks, providing you with accurate insights quickly. It can identify patterns and trends that you might miss, ensuring you stay ahead of disruptions.

Introducing Pi Agent

Pi Agent is your Personal GPT for supply chain planning. It combines the power of an LLM with the specificity of a tool designed for your needs. Pi Agent understands your business context and is trained on your enterprise data.

Think of Pi Agent as an extension of yourself. It doesn’t just generate forecasts; it provides actionable insights. It helps you anticipate market shifts and adjust your strategies in real-time.

Let’s look at a few scenarios where Pi Agent can help: 

1. Demand Spike Management

Imagine a sudden spike in demand for a product. Pi Agent quickly analyzes sales data, social media trends, and market conditions. It alerts you to the spike and suggests adjustments in your supply chain to meet the demand.

For example, it might recommend increasing production, rerouting shipments, or adjusting inventory levels. Pi Agent can even simulate different strategies, showing you the potential impact of each one. This helps you choose the best course of action, ensuring you can meet the increased demand without overextending your resources.

2. Supply Disruption Handling

A key supplier faces a disruption. Pi Agent evaluates alternative suppliers, considers lead times, and recommends the best course of action to minimize impact on your operations.
Let’s say a natural disaster has impacted one of your main suppliers. Pi Agent quickly identifies other suppliers who can provide the same materials, taking into account factors like cost, lead time, and reliability. It then suggests the best alternative, allowing you to maintain your production schedule with minimal disruption.

3. Inventory Optimization

Pi Agent continuously monitors your inventory levels and sales data. It identifies slow-moving items and suggests promotional strategies or adjustments in procurement to optimize inventory turnover.


For instance, if certain products are not selling as expected, Pi Agent can recommend targeted promotions or discounts to boost sales. Alternatively, it might suggest reducing future orders for those products to prevent overstocking. This helps you maintain optimal inventory levels, reducing holding costs and improving cash flow.

4. Scenario Planning

You need to plan for multiple potential future scenarios. Pi Agent helps you create and evaluate different scenarios, providing insights on the best strategies for each situation.

Suppose you’re planning for potential market changes due to a new competitor entering the market. Pi Agent can help you model various scenarios, such as price wars or changes in consumer preferences. It provides insights on how each scenario might impact your supply chain and suggests strategies to mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities. 

5. Defect Detection

Quality control is crucial in manufacturing. Imagine a scenario where a batch of products has defects. Pi Agent analyzes production data in real-time, identifying patterns that indicate potential defects. It alerts you immediately, allowing you to halt production and address the issue.

For example, Pi Agent might notice an increase in defect rates linked to a specific machine or production line. It provides detailed insights, helping you pinpoint the root cause. This allows you to take corrective actions quickly, reducing waste and ensuring product quality. Additionally, Pi Agent can predict potential defects based on historical data, enabling you to implement preventive measures and avoid costly recalls.

Get your own Personal GPT for Supply Chain Planning in less than 2 days

You’ve seen how a Personal GPT can transform your supply chain planning. From managing demand spikes to detecting defects, Pi Agent is designed to address your unique challenges. It integrates seamlessly into your business, providing insights that help you make better decisions.

Now, it’s time to see Pi Agent in action, tailored to your business context. Imagine having your own personal GPT for supply chain planning, up and running in less than two days.

Sign up for our workshop to learn how you can implement Pi Agent and revolutionize your supply chain planning. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tarun Kumar, VP of Global Sales at Pluto7, is an MIT-endorsed Senior Data Architect with deep expertise in Google Cloud solutions. He has spearheaded data platform adoptions for diverse organizations, championing supply chain transformations with Gen AI. As an Agile Scrum Master and TOGAF® 9 Professional, Tarun seamlessly bridges tech innovation with tangible business value.

Connect with Tarun on LinkedIn