Supply Chain Podcast Episode 6: How AI is revolutionising demand planning and supply chain operations, featuring Alan Gourdie—Co‑Founder and Executive Director of Quantiful. Based in Auckland with a focus on Australasian markets, Quantiful has developed QU, an AI-powered platform designed to produce highly accurate, bottom-up demand forecasts by blending customer data with external signals.
🔍 Key Takeaways
1. The Genesis of Quantiful
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Founded in 2015, Quantiful began as a consumer trends consultancy and evolved into a SaaS demand-planning provider.
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QU integrates sales, economic, social, and search data to enhance forecast accuracy and plug the gaps left by traditional spreadsheet-based methods.
2. AI as a Catalyst for Resilience
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Alan emphasises that AI amplifies rather than replaces human planners: “AI gives professionals the information and insights they need to operate in today’s complex retail environments.”
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This aligns with a broader trend in AI-driven S&OP, where automation supports decision-making without displacing talent.
3. Real-Time Responsiveness & Commercial Expansion
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With real-time insights into demand drivers, businesses can swiftly respond to market changes, whether it’s new product launches or evolving consumer trends.
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Quantiful’s partnership with IAG Firemark Ventures reflects confidence in QU’s ability to drive commercial expansion across Australia and Southeast Asia.
4. Commercial Impact & Customer ROI
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QU aims to shift forecasting from historic trend-based intuition to predictive, data-rich planning, often influencing decisions worth millions.
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Alan highlights how aligning forecasts with customer behaviours enables smarter inventory decisions, mitigation of stockouts, and maximisation of sales opportunities.
5. Human + AI Collaboration
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Alan and the host explore the evolving dynamic between human expertise and AI: planners unlock new value by interpreting AI-driven forecasts, steering away from rote analysis to strategic thinking.
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This mirrors Quantiful’s philosophy: AI should inform and empower, not supplant, the supply chain workforce.
Read Also: What do retailers and carriers need to know about the State of Shipping in 2025?
🎯 Why It Matters for Supply Chain Professionals
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Faster, Smarter Forecasting: AI absorbs a variety of data streams, giving planners richer insights and sharper decision-making tools.
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Risk Reduction: From overstock to stockouts, AI-powered demand planning helps businesses adapt quickly to changing environments.
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AI-Enabled Teams: Rather than cutting jobs, AI frees planners to focus on higher-level strategy and stakeholder management.
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Regional Relevance: With a deep understanding of the Australasian market, Quantiful offers tailored support to local enterprises.
🎧 Watch the Full Episode
To hear the full conversation and dive deeper into how AI is reshaping supply chains across the region, watch Episode 6 of the Supply Chain Channel Podcast featuring Alan Gourdie on YouTube:
Don’t miss this forward-looking discussion packed with practical insights for supply chain professionals embracing AI innovation.
Cejay is a Content Producer for Supply Chain Channel, Australia's learning ecosystem created to fill the need for information, networking, case studies and empowerment for everyone in the supply chain sector.
