As 2024 comes to a close, planning for 2025 is already underway in many organizations. In procurement, technology continues to open up new possibilities. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative models, is beginning to transform the way companies approach processes and decisions.
While there is still a perception that innovation in procurement requires high investment, the tools available today allow for practical and cost-effective implementation. Below, we explore trends that could reshape the sector in the coming year.
The role of artificial intelligence in shopping: the current scenario
Artificial intelligence is already a reality in many industries, and the procurement sector is no exception. Generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, became popular in 2024 due to their ability to perform tasks ranging from automating analysis to generating strategic ideas. However, the use of this technology is still in its early stages of its potential.
A Gartner study showed that 72% of global procurement leaders surveyed already consider generative AI a strategic priority. More than a tool to streamline processes, it is being used to offer more accurate solutions, such as market forecasts, negotiation support and contract optimization.
What to expect in 2025: applications of generative AI
Artificial intelligence agents
AI agents are emerging as key players in task automation. Unlike generic systems, these agents can be configured to operate on specific demands, such as:
- analysis of supplier claims: interpret adjustment requests and recommend actions based on benchmarks.
- supplier search: find options aligned with the company's criteria, such as cost, quality and sustainability.
- cost simulation: generate detailed trade compositions based on historical data and market trends.
These agents, trained with data provided by the company itself, have the potential to perform complex tasks more quickly and accurately, freeing purchasing professionals to focus on strategies.
Multimodality
Multimodality is the ability of an AI model to process and correlate different data formats, such as text, spreadsheets, images, and graphs. In the context of shopping, this means:
- perform in-depth analyses of expense spreadsheets in just a few minutes;
- interpret contracts or technical documents, highlighting important clauses and suggesting changes;
- analyze technical images or diagrams for product specifications.
This integration increases efficiency, reduces errors and allows decisions to be made based on a complete picture of available information.
Logical reasoning
Advances in logical reasoning make AI models capable of considering complex variables and presenting optimized solutions to challenging scenarios. Practical applications include:
- analyze market fluctuations and recommend adjustments to the purchasing strategy;
- predict future demands based on historical data and current market conditions;
- suggest viable alternatives in negotiations or acquisition processes.
These capabilities strengthen the role of AI as a strategic partner in the industry.
Data governance and organizational culture
Adopting advanced technologies in procurement brings challenges that go beyond the choice of tools. Data governance, for example, is a critical aspect. AI models depend on quality, often sensitive, data to deliver reliable results. To achieve this, organizations need to:
- implement strict security and privacy policies;
- ensure compliance with local and international regulations such as LGPD and GDPR;
- educate teams on the importance of working with accurate and structured data.
Furthermore, the shift to a data-driven model requires a cultural transformation. Companies need to promote decision-making based on concrete information, encouraging the adoption of technological tools at all levels.
How GEP COSTDRIVERS is transforming the purchasing sector
GEP COSTDRIVERS is a pioneer in offering solutions that help companies navigate this new era of purchasing. Our platform combines cutting-edge technology and a data-centric approach to simplify processes, improve decision-making and generate strategic value.
With over 100 global price indices and 4.000 cost breakdown models, GEP COSTDRIVERS enables companies to:
- get accurate market forecasts up to 24 months in advance;
- automate complex analyses, such as contract review and identification of savings opportunities;
- integrate with other corporate systems via APIs, ensuring a unified and consistent view.
Additionally, our platform supports the use of custom AI agents, allowing customers to train models specific to their needs. This means that tasks such as price adjustment analysis, cost simulation, and supplier sourcing can be performed autonomously, freeing up staff for more strategic activities.
