While 95% of initiatives fail to achieve scale, a small cohort delivers triple-digit productivity gains through governance and operational redesign

CLARK, N.J., May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A small elite group of companies has cracked the code on scaling AI in supply chain operations, delivering triple-digit productivity gains, faster response times and lower error rates, according to new joint research from GEP and the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business.

The GEP–UVA Darden study, based on surveys and interviews with senior executives at nearly 200 large enterprises, finds that while AI experimentation is nearly universal, only about 5% of supply chain AI initiatives have successfully moved beyond experimentation to enterprise-wide scale.

The research reveals a stark 'scaling gap': while 5% of initiatives have successfully industrialized, the vast majority remain stalled. Specifically, 22% are caught in the pilot phase, and 74% are either stuck in planning or have no formal roadmap for execution, leaving a significant divide between AI potential and operational reality.

The barrier is not budget, AI and agentic capabilities. It is management discipline.

"Most companies aren't failing at AI because of the technology," said Michael DuVall, Global Head of Strategy at GEP and co-author of the study. "They're failing because they're automating broken processes. The companies seeing outsized gains redesign how work gets done, put real governance in place, and hold AI to clear business outcomes before scaling."

What the 5% Elite Performers Do Differently

The organizations behind the top 5% of initiatives that have moved beyond pilots to operational scale, share several measurable characteristics:

1. Formal governance: Companies that scaled AI are significantly more likely to operate with a dedicated AI steering committee that ties funding directly to enterprise value delivery.
2. Portfolio discipline: Rather than approving isolated experiments, successful companies manage AI initiatives as a structured portfolio — progressing use cases deliberately from evaluation to pilot to scale.
3. Auditability and transparency: AI scalers document system logic through digital audit trails at materially higher rates than their peers, reinforcing trust, compliance and accuracy.
4. Workforce alignment: Organizations that have scaled AI are two to three times more likely to modernize elements of their talent strategy, redefining roles and aligning incentives to AI-enabled operating models.

In one documented example cited in the research, a standardized purchase requisition validation process enabled approximately 80% of transactions to auto-clear and drove triple-digit productivity improvements within weeks of deployment.

The GEP–UVA Darden research initiative was designed to combine frontline supply chain practice with academic rigor, examining not just where AI is being deployed, but why some organizations are able to industrialize it while others stall.

The full report, Why Operational Discipline Determines Agentic AI Success, is available HERE.

About GEP

GEP's Quantum Intelligence (Qi) provides an AI-native procurement and supply chain platform, consulting and services for global enterprises to become more agile, resilient, competitive and profitable. Designed and built for AI, GEP's software orchestrates and automates end-to-end workflows—delivering faster decisions, optimized value chains and better business outcomes. Intuitive, natural language interfaces and agentic processes delight users, driving adoption and productivity while eliminating manual processes. GEP's software integrates quickly and easily with third-party and legacy systems, including SAP, Oracle and other leading ERP and F&A platforms. Backed by superior support and service, GEP is an industry leader in customer satisfaction and loyalty. A leader in multiple Gartner Magic Quadrants, GEP consistently wins recognition from leading analysts and media, including Gartner, Forrester, IDC, Procurement Leaders and The Hackett Group. GEP SOFTWARE is part of Clark, NJ-based GEP, the world's leading provider of procurement and supply chain strategy, platform and managed services. To learn more, visit www.gep.com/quantumintelligence.

About the University of Virginia Darden School of Business

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences. Darden's graduate degree programs (Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, Executive MBA, MSBA and Ph.D.) and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact. Darden's top-ranked faculty, renowned for teaching excellence, inspires and shapes modern business leadership worldwide through research, thought leadership and business publishing. Darden has Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area and a global community that includes 20,000 alumni in 90 countries. Darden was established in 1955 at the University of Virginia, a top public university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Media Contact

Derek Creevey

Director, Public Relations

GEP

Phone: +1 732-382-6565

Email: derek.creevey@gep.com

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Der österreichische Markt für Fremdwährungskredite an private Haushalte ist nahezu ausgetrocknet. Laut aktueller Erhebung der Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) sank das wechselkursbereinigte Volumen im ersten Quartal 2026 um weitere 4,0 Prozent auf 5,09 Milliarden Euro. Damit entfallen nur noch 2,8 Prozent aller Kredite an private Haushalte auf Finanzierungen in Fremdwährung. Vor rund zwei Jahrzehnten zählte dieses Segment noch zu den Wachstumstreibern im Kreditgeschäft der Banken.

Auslöser für den Rückzug war der von der FMA im Herbst 2008 verhängte Neuvergabestopp für Fremdwährungskredite. Seit damals ist das Volumen dieser Kredite wechselkursbereinigt um 44,4 Milliarden Euro oder 92 Prozent geschrumpft. Auf dem Höhepunkt des Booms im Jahr 2006 waren nach FMA-Angaben fast ein Drittel (32 Prozent) aller aushaftenden Haushaltskredite in Fremdwährung denominiert. In der Finanzkrise 2008 entwickelte sich diese Konzentration zu einem Risiko für den gesamten österreichischen Bankensektor.

Heute bestehen praktisch alle verbliebenen Fremdwährungskredite – 99,1 Prozent – in Schweizer Franken, der Rest entfällt nahezu vollständig auf Kredite in japanischen Yen. Damit bleibt für Kreditnehmer das Wechselkursrisiko zentral. Der Schweizer Franken notierte im ersten Quartal 2026 im Durchschnitt bei rund 0,9194 je Euro; seit 2008 hat er gegenüber der Gemeinschaftswährung um etwa 80 Prozent aufgewertet. Diese deutliche Aufwertung hat in der Vergangenheit die Schuldenlast vieler Kreditnehmer erhöht, die ursprünglich auf Zinsvorteile gesetzt hatten.

Die FMA geht davon aus, dass der überwiegende Teil der noch aushaftenden Fremdwährungskredite zwischen 2029 und 2033 endfällig wird. Die Aufsicht fordert Banken auf, proaktiv zumindest einmal jährlich das Gespräch mit betroffenen Kundinnen und Kunden zu suchen. Kreditnehmer wiederum sollten diese Angebote nachdrücklich wahrnehmen, um rechtzeitig Optionen zur Risikobegrenzung – etwa Laufzeit- oder Strukturänderungen – zu prüfen. Damit könnte der lange, bereits seit der Finanzkrise laufende Abbau der Fremdwährungsengagements in den kommenden Jahren geordnet zu Ende geführt werden.