Oracle successfully hosted its flagship Cloud World 2025 event in Mumbai, bringing together industry leaders, partners, and technology enthusiasts to explore advancements in cloud computing, AI, and enterprise solutions. Rajeev Ranjan, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Terminal, engaged in an insightful conversation with Derek Gittoes, Vice President of Supply Chain Management Product Strategy at Oracle, uncovering exclusive insights. Take a look:
Rajeev: How do you envision data and AI transforming the future of supply chains, especially in terms of real-time decision-making and operational efficiency?
Derek: I believe there's tremendous potential for a significant impact. We've made substantial investments in embedding AI technologies into our Fusion applications. Recently, we announced AI agents specifically designed for supply chains. These are excellent examples of how AI can leverage existing data within a company's supply chain systems.
For instance, AI-powered advisory agents can learn from organizational data, including company policies, directives, and historical information. These agents provide valuable guidance to workers, enabling them to make quicker, more efficient decisions and accomplish tasks more effectively. Whether it's answering questions swiftly or boosting overall productivity, AI is transforming operational roles across supply chains.
Rajeev: How do you see predictive analytics and AI contributing to risk management, especially in addressing challenges such as traffic-related delays and supply chain disruptions?
Derek: Absolutely, predictive analytics and AI hold a pivotal role. We have invested in several predictive AI models. For instance, within our transportation application, we utilize historical shipment data to forecast transit times and the expected arrival of future shipments. By analyzing patterns, such as how shipments from a specific port on the last Friday of December have different delivery timelines compared to other periods, we can provide more accurate insights. These predictive models significantly enhance decision-making quality and operational efficiency, allowing companies to optimize both their processes and resource allocation.
Rajeev: How can organizations seamlessly integrate real-time data exchange into their existing infrastructure while ensuring system efficiency and avoiding operational overwhelm?
Derek: That's an excellent question and a very valid concern, especially for companies relying on legacy supply chain technology designed for the data processing demands of 20 to 30 years ago. Many organizations still operate on outdated systems, which can be a significant limitation. At Oracle, we've invested in modern architectures capable of handling large-scale data integration. For example, we connect directly to shop floor equipment to capture production events in real-time. Given the high volume of such events, our systems are designed not only to process and store this information efficiently but also to leverage it for actionable insights and more informed decision-making.
Rajeev: What do you see as the key challenges organizations face when implementing AI solutions in their supply chain operations? What strategies or best practices would you recommend to help overcome these hurdles and ensure a successful AI adoption?
Derek: I think one of the primary challenges is the rapid pace at which AI technology is evolving. Very few organizations have the capacity to both keep up with these advancements and implement them in a safe, reliable, and scalable enterprise environment. Many supply chain organizations face difficulties because they've attempted to take on too much of the development work required to build AI-based solutions, such as the AI agents I mentioned earlier.
If applications already have AI capabilities embedded, companies like Oracle have done the heavy lifting—validating large language models, engineering prompts, and establishing guardrails to ensure accurate and reliable outputs. This approach instills trust and simplifies adoption. Organizations often struggle when they try to build their own solutions instead of leveraging pre-validated technologies. It's more practical to focus on applying these solutions rather than becoming AI experts themselves.
Rajeev: Could you share some real-world examples of how customers are leveraging Oracle SCM solutions to enhance their supply chain operations and achieve meaningful business outcomes?
Derek: I recently co-presented with Asian Paints, a well-known organization in India, which is a great example of leveraging our logistics solutions effectively. They manage deliveries to over 140,000 retail points across the country. Depending on the location and product, they offer a remarkable 2 to 4-hour delivery service—from the moment a customer places an order to having the paint in their hands and ready for use. This is just one example; we have numerous customers globally who are leveraging our supply chain technologies to address similar and diverse operational challenges.
Rajeev: Given the importance of the Indian market to Oracle, what message would you like to convey to your existing customers here and to those who are yet to explore your platform?
Derek: I would like to convey a couple of key messages. First, the supply chain domain is a critical focus area for Oracle. We have made and continue to make significant investments to address the challenges faced by various industries, from healthcare providers to industrial manufacturers like Asian Paints. This ongoing commitment underscores our dedication to delivering robust solutions capable of addressing today's complex supply chain challenges.
Secondly, our platforms are well-equipped to drive meaningful business outcomes, and we look forward to fostering successful partnerships with organizations in this dynamic and vibrant country.
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