Oracle Bolsters Supply Chain Management with AI and Automation Capabilities

Oracle has added artificial intelligence (AI) and automation capabilities to its supply chain management platform.

The Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain Management (SCM) & Manufacturing now includes new planning, usage-based pricing and rebate management capabilities, the company said in a Wednesday (April 19) press release.

“Part of Oracle Fusion Applications Suite, Oracle Cloud SCM helps organizations seamlessly connect supply chain processes and quickly respond to changing demand, supply and market conditions,” Oracle said in the release.

PYMNTS research has found that companies that felt the pain of the pandemic-era supply chain breakdown most acutely have been the most aggressive in upgrading their procurement systems.

Thirty-one percent of retailers and 42% of manufacturers are already investing in upgrades to their procurement technology, according to “Digital Payments: Modernizing Procurement Processes,” a PYMNTS and Corcentric collaboration.

In addition, 53% of retailers and 44% of manufacturers plan to make such investments, the report found.

The report also found that 54% of these retailers and 55% of these manufacturers are also investing or planning to invest in upgrades to logistics and supply chain functions, and 41% of retailers and 39% of manufacturers are upgrading their systems for supplier data.

The latest additions to the Oracle Fusion Applications Suite include new AI-powered lead time estimates that help improve planning efficiency and results; an enhanced quote-to-cash process that helps quote, capture and fulfill orders more efficiently; and new rebate management capabilities that help streamline rebate programs and gain better visibility into program performance, according to the press release.

These join the suite of enterprise applications available on Oracle’s integrated cloud platform, which self-updates and adds new features every 90 days, the release said.

“With Oracle’s complete suite of integrated applications, organizations can manage supply chain data on the same platform as finance, [human resources (HR)] and customer experience to accelerate processes like quote-to-cash and remove barriers that have traditionally existed between different business functions,” Jon Chorley, senior vice president of supply chain applications and chief sustainability officer at Oracle, said in the release. “This holistic approach creates an environment where AI and automation can flourish to help businesses drive efficiencies and achieve more with less.”