New data indicates AI helps teams fight burnout and drive smarter, scalable operations, despite mounting global supply chain pressures
DENVER, July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Cin7, the industry-leading inventory and order management software provider, today released the findings of The 2025 State of Inventory Intelligence Study. As supply chains face sustained disruption and market volatility, inventory teams are struggling to keep pace. Based on insights from over 500 global inventory and supply chain professionals, the study's findings highlight both the potential — and the pitfalls — of AI adoption amidst the turbulence.
For inventory leaders, the clock is ticking and outdated systems are draining more than just time. According to the study, employees are losing 16 hours a week manually syncing inventory across disparate systems, while outdated inventory tools are holding half of businesses back from scaling. This lost time equates to 104 working days a year, risking significant company setbacks. Employees themselves are also feeling the burden, as 73% of respondents say these operational inefficiencies take time away from higher-value tasks.
But AI-powered inventory management is helping teams reclaim lost time, reduce overstock, and drive growth. The data found AI-powered tools enable employees to reclaim 15 hours a week back, offsetting nearly all the time lost to fixing disjointed systems. In fact, teams already using AI for inventory management report significant gains: 85% say it has improved team visibility, and three out of four teams have reduced costly overstock.
"For the better part of a decade, inventory teams have been stuck in survival mode as they try to navigate disruption while piecemealing together a patchwork of disparate, outdated systems," said Ajoy Krishnamoorthy, CEO of Cin7. "This report substantiates what we hear from customers every day: outdated tools are draining time and holding businesses back. AI is changing that and Cin7 is leading the way. In fact, customers using Cin7's ForesightAI reduced overstock by 40% in just six months. We're partnering with businesses around the world to help them cut waste, boost growth, and scale with confidence, in even the most challenging market environments."
Additional report findings include:
Trust Gap Threatens Progress
Despite AI's potential to transform operations, lingering skepticism remains. Nearly one-third of employees (30%) say they don't trust AI to deliver accurate information. The greatest concerns lie in its use for sensitive functions like financial management (47%) and customer data (43%). Overcoming this trust gap will be critical to fully unlocking AI's benefits.
Global Divide: AI Adoption Lags Outside of the United States
While U.S. employees are leading the charge on daily AI use, other regions are falling behind. Workers in the United Kingdom are 60% more likely than average to report avoiding automation or modern inventory tools entirely. Meanwhile, employees in Australia are nearly 80% more likely to say they can't tell the difference between AI and automation, highlighting the urgent need for education and clarity.
Scaling Locally, Rethinking Global Manufacturing
U.S. tariffs and economic shifts are reshaping supply chains, with nearly half (49%) of inventory leaders considering reshoring. In Australia, that number jumps 37% above average. But growth isn't guaranteed: 40% of businesses are struggling to scale, citing outdated systems (50%), supply chain disruptions (58%), and funding gaps (38%) as top barriers. SMBs feel the pinch hardest, with limited resources holding them back.
For more findings from The State of Inventory Intelligence Study, you can download the full report here. To learn more about Cin7 visit http://www.cin7.com.
METHODOLOGY
Cin7 conducted The 2025 State of Inventory Intelligence Study online between April 14 and 23, 2025. It reflects the opinions of 530 full-time employees in a retail, eCommerce, wholesale, distribution, manufacturing, logistics, or warehousing role who are directly involved in inventory and supply chain management in the United States, Europe, or Australia. The study was conducted at 95% confidence with a +/- 4% margin of error.
About Cin7
Cin7 provides Connected Inventory Performance – cloud-based inventory management software with AI-powered forecasting capabilities that gives growing product businesses an automated and real-time view of the entire inventory lifecycle. Cin7's Core and Omni products natively integrate with over 700+ applications, so business owners can consolidate, streamline, automate, and scale their inventory operation from one place. Founded in 2012, Cin7 has grown into a global force, supporting product sellers in 100+ countries, serving 8,500+ customers and processing over 125 million orders annually. For more information about Cin7, please visit http://www.cin7.com.
Media Contact
Lindsay Mahaney, Kickstand, (419) 764-9705, [email protected], http://www.cin7.com
SOURCE Cin7
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