Is AI a game-changer for supply chain management, or just the latest round of corporate hype? This week, we go behind the headlines to find out.First, we explore Starbucks' new inventory-taking AI tool. While the company talks about accuracy and protecting revenue, we argue the real motivation is far more strategic: solving the decades-long labor shortage and improving employee retention by automating the tasks baristas hate most.Then, we pivot to the healthcare supply chain, where executives are making bold claims about AI's ability to anticipate disruptions and manage risk. We cut through the noise, explaining why many of these applications are "ridiculous propositions" and examples of the hype that leads to failed investments.Next, we break down the end of the $800 de minimis rule and the $240 million hit Lululemon is expecting to its gross margin. We explain what this policy is, how it was used, and the irony behind the US government’s current stance given its position during USMCA negotiations.Finally, we look at the massive disruption caused by a recent hack at Jaguar Land Rover, which brought its entire network of orders, deliveries, and sales to a halt. It’s a stark reminder of how vulnerable finely tuned, "just-in-time" global supply chains are to IT security failures.

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Produced & edited by: Jeremy RotenbergHosted by: Charles Fallon & David Beaudet