This week on Thoughts and Coffee, Christine Barnhart stepped in for Sarah, joined by HP’s Pedro Neto, for a wide-ranging talk on the future of supply chain. Despite tech hiccups, the conversation was packed with insight on AI, dynamic tariffs, and why even tomatoes can trigger industry upheaval.
From Spreadsheets to Smart Systems
AI has moved beyond novelty to become a daily tool. Christine and Pedro shared how ChatGPT and embedded workplace models are transforming tasks—from analyzing spreadsheets to writing reports. The key? Learning how to prompt effectively. AI is now a collaborative tool, reshaping workflows in real-time.
Tariffs and Tomatoes
A fresh tariff on tomatoes became the poster child for supply chain disruption. Prices jump, plans change, and businesses from ketchup brands to grocery chains feel the squeeze. Pedro emphasized there’s no magic fix—just layers of tactics: diversified suppliers, smarter inventory, automation, and AI-driven analytics.
Is the World Ready for AI?
Drawing from recent “AI Marshall Plan” discussions, Pedro and Christine asked: Can society keep pace with tech’s acceleration? Big players are investing billions, but smaller businesses risk falling behind. Solutions may lie in public-private collaboration, job retraining, and smarter regulation.
Building the Future, Together
AI is speeding up how we build tools, test models, and problem-solve. But deep domain knowledge—like what groups such as ASCM offer—remains essential. As Pedro said: “You can’t automate intuition.”
