Autonomous planning has passed the Peak of Inflated Expectations and is emerging as one of the most impactful trends in supply chain planning (SCP), according to Gartner, Inc., a business technology and insights company.

“Autonomous planning has the potential to reshape how supply chain leaders approach decision making by automating routine tasks and freeing up planners to focus on more complex and high-impact decisions,” said Eva Dawkins, Director Analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice. “Autonomous planning can also detect and eliminate human and algorithmic bias, such as ‘loudest customer’ prioritization, to ensure aligned, data-driven planning outcomes.”

While the potential benefits of the technology are generally understood, obstacles remain to mainstream adoption. For example, a lack of transparency about the algorithms and heuristics embedded in the technology, and trust in the output of the data, is impeding implementation of autonomous planning for some organizations.

Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Planning Technologies, 2025 is a graphical representation of how new technologies and innovations mature through five phases. SCP leaders can use the insights to identify which capabilities are ready to deliver business value immediately and which require further evaluation for fit or technological development.

Additional technologies on this year’s Hype Cycle reflect a strategic inflection point for SCP, as organizations face ongoing volatility and an unprecedented surge in AI-driven innovation. Agentic AI is in the early stages at the Innovation Trigger, while generative AI is advancing towards the Trough of Disillusionment, and AI is progressing to the Slope of Enlightenment. (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Planning Technologies, 2025

Source: Gartner (November 2025)

Building a Culture for Autonomous and AI-Driven Planning

As organizations evaluate autonomous and AI-driven technologies, supply chain leaders must consider additional factors. Successful implementation demands a significant cultural shift from people-centric to decision-centric thinking. As organizations automate repetitive planning tasks, planners must adapt to their new roles focused on oversight, risk management, and strategic analysis.

“Successful adoption will require aligning automation goals with digital maturity and incorporating high-quality, real-time data and broad supply chain visibility,” Dawkins said. “Additionally, building trust through transparency and upskilling teams will be essential for driving engagement and confidence in these new approaches.”

Gartner recommends that SCP leaders prioritize:

• Using a decision-type framework to identify which planning decisions are suitable for full automation, ensuring that only tasks where human intervention adds limited value are automated to avoid negative outcomes.
• Leveraging AI to automate repetitive planning tasks and enhance consistency and accuracy across decisions, while also investing in transparent analytics to build stakeholder trust and confidence in autonomous systems.
• Driving cultural change by upskilling planners and encouraging adoption of decision-centric practices, helping teams transition from manual processes to strategic oversight in an AI-enabled environment.

Gartner clients can read more in Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Planning Technologies, 2025. Nonclients can learn more in Supply Chain Planning.

Upcoming Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summits
Gartner experts will discuss autonomous planning, AI advances, and other key trends at the upcoming Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver on December 2-3, 2025.

 

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About the Gartner Supply Chain Practice 

The Gartner Supply Chain Practice provides actionable, objective insights for supply chain leaders and their teams, so they can respond to disruption and innovate for the future through leading-edge supply chain management practices. Additional information is available at https://www.gartner.com/en/supply-chain. Follow news and updates from the Gartner Supply Chain Practice on LinkedIn and X using #GartnerSC. Visit the Gartner Supply Chain Newsroom for more information and insights.

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