Artificial Intelligence Reshapes Supply Chain and Lean: Framework and Main Insights

Smart manufacturing leverages various Industry 4.0 technologies to enhance the operational performance of manufacturing systems, strengthening their reconfigurability and resilience within Supply Chains (SC). Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands out as one of the most potent technologies driving these advancements, fundamentally reshaping SC behaviors. Concurrently, Lean production methodologies are employed to optimize manufacturing systems, synergizing with AI to reinforce technological efficiency. Recognizing the necessity of AI across diverse SC domains such as production, maintenance, logistics, supply, and quality, becomes imperative to comprehend its utility, applicability, and relevance. This paper tries to elucidate the role, limitations, and application framework of AI within Supply Chain Management (SCM), shedding light on its integration into contemporary SC paradigms. By updating existing knowledge on AI applications in SCM and sustaining Lean Processes, the authors address the evolving landscape of SC dynamics. Embracing this new era, the authors aim to delineate the boundaries of AI in SCM and articulate a framework for its prudent inclusion in the modern world. The Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model is utilized to contextualize the vast potential of AI, opening a rapidly evolving collaborative network facilitated by AI applications and decision support tools.