If you’re involved in supply chain, procurement, or logistics, you know that staying one step ahead of industry disruptions is practically part of your job description. Come 2025, there’s a new question you can expect in your next job interview—beyond the usual inquiries about your background, vendor relationships, or demand forecasting strategies. Interviewers will want to know:
“How familiar are you with AI, and how are you using it?”
This question reflects a major shift in our industry, where AI-driven insights are transforming everything from raw material sourcing to last-mile delivery. Below, we’ll explore how to prepare, and how to answer effectively.
Don’t Just Say You’re Familiar—Show It
In a job interview, you might be quick to claim you’re a whiz at demand planning, a master of risk mitigation, or an expert in JIT (just-in-time) practices. But when it comes to AI, simply saying, “I’m very familiar with it,” isn’t enough. Interviewers want to hear how you’ve applied AI to real-world supply chain problems—what your role was, what you discovered, and what results you achieved.
Tell a Story
When interviewers ask, “How are you using AI?” the best answer starts with a challenge you faced—something every supply chain professional can relate to. Maybe you were trying to manage stock levels across multiple regions with unpredictable demand. Maybe you dealt with container shipping backlogs at ports, or had to quickly assess alternative suppliers due to geopolitical risks. Whatever the issue, center your response around that specific problem. Use details to highlight your critical thinking and creativity.
Example: “In my previous role, we struggled with rapid changes in raw material prices. I implemented an AI-driven pricing analytics tool that used both historical data and market forecasts, allowing us to renegotiate contracts more effectively with key suppliers. This not only stabilized our costs but also improved delivery times by 15%.”
Why Problem-Solving Matters
No matter which corner of the supply chain you occupy—procurement, transportation, or warehouse operations—employers want problem-solvers. They want people who use AI to:
- Identify emerging risks earlier (e.g., weather events that might disrupt shipping routes).
- Improve demand forecasts so you aren’t stuck with too much or too little inventory.
- Enhance supplier relationships by analyzing performance metrics across multiple vendors.
- Optimize distribution routes to lower costs and shorten lead times.
Connecting your AI experience to these types of problems demonstrates that you understand both the technology and the business needs.
Ask for Input, Show You’re a Team Player
If you’re not entirely certain how your AI experience fits with the prospective role, ask the interviewer for feedback:
“I believe these skills translate well to optimizing supplier selection and contract negotiations. I’m curious—how would you see that fitting into this position?”
This shows you’re collaborative, open to new ideas, and keen to align your AI insights with their specific operational challenges. It also turns the interview into a conversation rather than a quiz.
Conflict and Challenge: The Core of Any Good Story
In supply chain, conflict or “challenge” often appears in the form of capacity shortages, erratic customer demand, or abrupt regulatory changes. AI can be a powerful ally, but it also comes with its own obstacles—like the “hallucinations” that can occur when AI tools generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Part of your story might involve how you validated AI outputs or integrated new data sources to make them more reliable.
Example: “While using an AI platform for shipment consolidation, I noticed the tool occasionally recommended carriers outside of our preferred network. I dug deeper, discovered a data mismatch, and worked with our IT team to correct it. After refining those inputs, the tool improved our load optimization by 20%.”
Stories like these highlight your ability to adapt and navigate the gray areas of AI, proving you can spot potential pitfalls before they spiral into major disruptions.
Tying It All Back to Your Job Search
The ability to use AI in your day-to-day responsibilities will make you a more attractive candidate—but it can also help you find your next role. If you’re actively searching, explore how AI-driven job boards or résumé scanning tools can give you an edge. Doing so builds your familiarity with the technology, providing yet another story for your next interview.
Remember, 2025 is just around the corner, and this key question—“How familiar are you with AI, and how are you using it?”—is already reshaping recruitment conversations in the supply chain sector. Whether you’re discussing cost optimization in procurement or risk assessment in logistics, the key is to demonstrate how you apply AI to solve specific, real-world issues. That’s the story employers will be listening for.
Have thoughts on how AI is reshaping supply chain interviews? Share your perspectives in the comments, and don’t forget to join the conversation in our online supply chain community, Chain.NET. Joining is free and only takes a few minutes: https://mygs.cc/chain
