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Technology investments in operations and supply chains often fall short of targets. Here’s how COOs can get better results.

Four priorities that can help COOs get the most from digital

  • June 20, 2025

Operations and supply chains need to become more flexible and responsive, and technologies like AI can be a crucial part of making it happen. But companies often struggle to capture the full value of these technologies. In PwC’s 2025 Digital Trends in Operations Survey, 57% of operations and supply chain leaders said they’ve integrated AI into selected functions or throughout their organisation. Yet an overwhelming majority of them, 92%, cited at least one reason why investments in operations technology haven’t fully delivered the expected results. 

What goes wrong? Integration complexity (selected by 47%) and data issues (44%) are the most commonly cited issues—likely an indicator of the struggles of adapting to and leveraging new AI solutions. (Integration complexity was also the top reason in our 2024 survey.) Distressingly, nearly one in three respondents point to deficiencies in the business case for tech investment—unclear objectives, weak rationale or difficulty understanding costs—as a reason for failing to hit expectations. That could suggest that ops leaders are investing in technology in an ad hoc way, without a baseline understanding of how it will create value or how much value it should deliver.

To capture the full potential of investments in digital and AI, here’s what operations and supply chain leaders can do differently. 

Integrate, don’t just implement. New solutions and applications, often with dazzling capabilities, are hitting the market all the time. But COOs and supply chain leaders should focus less on quantity and more on determining how a given solution will mesh with their existing tech set-up. Simplify system architecture and build a foundation for integration before investing in a new solution. 

Invest in data as a strategic asset. Data integration should be a core organisational capability, not an IT problem. Remove departmental barriers, improve data quality and enable cross-functional access, so that new capabilities have access to the data they’ll need to generate more value. By doing so, you can better unlock value from data and advanced decision models.

Double down on generating an ROI. Prioritise initiatives that improve cost visibility and reduce risk in operations. Tie AI and other tech investments directly to performance metrics and value drivers—and develop specific capabilities to model and manage costs, especially when applying AI.

Upskill your people. Hiring and training will always be important, but those are table stakes. To gain a competitive edge, consider specific incentives and certifications to boost your digital workforce. Also, don’t sleep on potential acquisitions that could provide an influx of tech expertise.

Explore the full results of PwC’s 2025 Digital Trends in Operations Survey

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Matthew Comte

Matthew Comte

Operations Transformation Leader, Principal, PwC US

Carla DeSantis

Carla DeSantis

Operations Transformation Commercial Lead and US CPG Leader, Principal, PwC US

Brian Gilbert

Brian Gilbert

Operations Transformation Digital Leader, Partner, PwC US