News / Invest wisely – in agentic AI – 'there's too much at risk to just wing it'

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Companies should brace for “more disruption” heading into the new year and invest wisely to stay competitive, according to John Lash, GVP of strategy at e2open, a WiseTech Global Group company.

“The bad news for CEOs is that we should expect more of the same as we head into 2026,” Mr Lash told The Loadstar, referring to “on-again, off-again” tariffs and supply chain “whipsawing”.  

But he added: “The good news is that while CEOs can’t control the pace or extent of policy swings, they can control how their business reacts to them.” 

Mr Lash noted that a “potentially transformative” opportunity lay in agentic AI, and predicted that 2026 would be “the breakout year” for agentic AI in supply chain operations – though not in the way many fear. 

“Agentic AI in the supply chain won’t be about cutting white-collar jobs,” he said. “It will be about closing talent gaps and turning users into super-users.” 

According to Mr Lash, vendors have already begun offering agentic systems to enhance functional performance in areas such as planning, global trade and logistics, aiming to upskill workers so that “new hires can perform at the same level as seasoned veterans”. 

But the biggest gains, he said, will come from agentic solutions that support “cross-functional workflows” and can overhaul “organisational barriers, process barriers, and siloed technology and data”. 

“Agentic AI has the potential to break barriers that have held us back for decades, turning users into super-users… This is where the magic of agentic AI really shines, where it becomes truly transformational,” Mr Lash said.  

However, he acknowledged that economic uncertainty, driven by concerns of rising inflation, a weakening labour market, and soft consumer confidence, had put CEOs “on edge” for the year ahead, which could dampen new investment. 

“In 2025, consumers were largely insulated from the full impact of tariffs. As the double-digit increases work their way through the supply chain to the consumer, CEOs are increasingly concerned about reaching a tipping point, and are taking protective measures to conserve cash, scale back on hiring, and pause discretionary investments,” Mr Lash explained. 

He advised companies to, “first and foremost”, focus on the core functionality of “keeping business going, factory lines running, and product deliveries to key markets and customers”, but added that investment in certain areas could be beneficial. 

“Conserve cash, but do so wisely,” he said.   

“Spend in areas to help navigate the storm. If you don’t already have it, invest in current trade data and use it to make informed planning and logistics decisions. There is too much at risk to just wing it.” 

Watch The Loadstar’s latest podcast for a light-hearted recap and analysis of all that transpired this year!