“For procurement, now is the time to raise your hand and sit at the table where your company is deciding on AI use cases, because that is going to transform your trajectory in the industry and the company.” - Mary Purk, Co-Author of "Growing Up: Navigating Generative AI’s Early Years – AI Adoption Report" by AI at Wharton

It’s been two years since ChatGPT democratized AI technology access and became the most rapidly downloaded consumer application in history. Since then we’ve seen a steep acceleration of AI-driven innovation, opportunity, and concern. 

Just like every other area of the business, procurement has their own unique story about the way AI continues to change the way they function and create value.

In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Mary Purk, co-author of the recently published AI adoption report “Growing Up: Navigating Generative AI’s Early Years” by AI at Wharton and GBK Collective. The report provides data on AI adoption trends within businesses and across functions and the impact that AI is having and will have in the future. 

Mary and Philip discuss:

• How far procurement has come since ChatGPT’s release in 2022 and where they’re headed in 2025 and beyond
• Why procurement managers are better positioned than any other role in the business to drive AI transformation in the next 12-18 months
• The pros and cons of make versus buy when weighing your organization’s approach AI-driven procurement technology
• The perception of AI’s impact, and what that says about opportunity within procurement to demonstrate their success and secure their future

Links:

• Report: “Growing Up: Navigating Generative AI’s Early Years – AI Adoption Report” by AI at Wharton and GBK Collective
• Mary Purk on LinkedIn
• Microsoft AI Learning Hub
• Hard Fork podcast on Spotify
• Microsoft Podcasts
• Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick
• Subscribe to This Week in Procurement
• Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube