Reimagine the possible.
The procurement function looks and feels different today.
Procurement’s role has been elevated to a position of visibility and responsibility across most companies in a plethora of industries. AI is shaking up the way in which procurement teams operate and is changing the game.
Indeed, AI’s impact has meant procurement leaders have had to be agile and flexible to new ways of working in order to unlock efficiencies in today’s tech-driven and volatile world.
Speaking exclusively to CPOstrategy, Matt Smart, Senior Delivery Director at Barkers Commercial Services, reflects on where procurement stands today in the midst of its most transformative era ever.
Please briefly introduce me to the organisation you work for. What, for you, differentiates it from other companies in this space?
Matt Smart: “I’m a Senior Delivery Director at Barkers Commercial Services, a specialist procurement and commercial consultancy focused on helping organisations unlock real value from their spend.
At its core, Barkers exists to challenge the perception of procurement as a back-office, process-led function. We work alongside our clients to reposition it as a strategic driver of value – whether that’s through transforming operating models, delivering complex sourcing programmes, or building the capability and confidence of in-house teams.
What differentiates us is our belief that procurement transformation only matters if it actually lands. We don’t stop at strategy or PowerPoint – we stay with our clients through implementation, building practical tools, embedding ways of working, and making sure change is sustained. It’s about leaving organisations not just with a plan, but in a stronger, more capable position than when we started.
There’s also a strong emphasis on balancing rigour with pragmatism, particularly in regulated environments.
For us, it’s not about procurement for procurement’s sake; it’s about making it work in the real world, enabling better decisions, stronger supplier relationships, and ultimately better outcomes for the organisation.”
Is there anything in particular that inspired you to get involved in procurement?
Matt Smart: “What drew me into procurement – and has kept me there – is the scale of impact it can have when it’s done well.
“Procurement sits in a unique position within any organisation; you’re connected to strategy, finance, operations, and the external market all at once. Done properly, it becomes a lever for change – shaping how organisations spend, who they partner with, and how they deliver value.
“Early on, I realised this wasn’t just about cost savings. It’s about influence – helping organisations make better decisions, challenge the status quo, and think more strategically about where and how they invest.
“That’s what makes it interesting. You’re constantly solving different problems, navigating complexity, and working with stakeholders to drive better outcomes. What continues to motivate me is the opportunity to elevate the function itself and help our clients to succeed and delight their internal stakeholders.
“There’s still a gap between what procurement could be and what it often is. Closing that gap – through transformation, capability building, and better use of data and insight – is where I think real value lies. For me, that’s what procurement is about at its best: not controlling spend, but shaping it in a way that genuinely moves organisations forward.”
One of the biggest crazes in procurement over the past 18 months has been the rise of agentic AI. In your mind, how is it changing the game in procurement and helping move the needle from reactive cost cutting to proactive value creation?
Matt Smart: “Agentic AI has the potential to lift some of the weight off procurement teams’ shoulders, and encourage them to spend less time finding information, and more time making better and more informed decisions. AI agents are able to continuously monitor multiple sources of data, including spend patterns, supplier performance, external market signals and contracts, allowing opportunities and risks to be spotted much earlier. This means that they can be less focused on admin and more on real strategic decision-making.
“While cost cutting is important, the value of AI goes far beyond that. AI can help spot opportunities related to innovation, resilience, sustainability and demand management, which means that procurement can become a main driver of business value rather than a reactive function focused purely on cost-control.”
How can organisations build trust in AI agents making sourcing or supplier selection decisions?
Matt Smart: “As useful as it can be, there’s still some scepticism around AI. So building trust in this relatively new technology starts with transparency and governance. Those in procurement need to feel confident that the recommendations being generated are from reliable data, and that there’s clear reasoning behind them.
“In the short term, procurement needs to be a decision-support tool rather than something that can make autonomous decisions, especially when it comes to strategic sourcing and supplier relations. Businesses who choose to utilise AI will need to have clear guidelines in place around where AI can make recommendations, where human oversight and approval is needed, and how the decisions are audited.
“Data quality is also important, as even the most advanced AI will struggle to deliver something high-quality and trustworthy if the data inputted is poor.”
How can procurement balance efficiency gains from agentic AI with maintaining supplier relationships and human judgement?
Matt Smart: “The key is knowing which tasks AI is better suited to – such as repetitive, data-intense ones – and keeping the relationship and judgement-based tasks to the procurement professionals. When used properly, AI has the potential to significantly reduce the time and effort spent on tasks such as market research, spend analysis, supplier onboarding, and contract administration. The actual people behind procurement will then be freed up to focus more on collaboration, innovation and the development of long-term partnerships.
“Human judgement is essential when it comes to integrating AI into procurement processes, and the most effective and successful systems will be ones where AI provides insight and recommendations, while the onus is still on people to retain accountability for the decisions and relationships that are developed as a result.”
Another key area for CPOs is managing organisational sustainability goals. With these in mind, how can new advanced, digital tools help organisations embed ESG and ethical sourcing goals into daily decision-making?
Matt Smart: “One of the biggest challenges is translating ESG ambitions from boardroom big dreams into practical, day-to-day decisions. Advanced digital tools are available that can help by integrating sustainability and ethical sourcing metrics directly into certain processes, such as sourcing, supplier relations, and contract management.
“Rather than ESG being reviewed retrospectively, procurement teams will be able to use real-time data to make in the moment decisions. AI can also be a help here by monitoring supplier performance, spotting potential compliance risks, and helping to improve visibility across supply chains.”
What are the biggest considerations/hurdles to overcome that CPOs need to think about when seeking to use advanced technology solutions in procurement?
Matt Smart: “Many businesses often underestimate the importance of data, the people on their teams, and the processes that they should have in place. Having access to quality data is one of the biggest and most common barriers to success; your technology and decision-making is only as effective as the information you have to hand!
“A lot of companies are quick to jump on the latest tools at their disposal, but without knowing how to use them properly. Any technology initiatives you have need to be driven by clear business objectives rather than being adopted for the sake of it.
“Successful transformation isn’t only dependent on choosing the right technology platforms, but also on having the right processes, organisational capabilities, and conditions in place.”
As many have said, this appears to be the most exciting and dynamic time to be involved in procurement. In your mind, what does the future look like over the next year or two?
Matt Smart: “Over the next few years, we’ll likely see a shift from procurement companies experimenting with and dabbling in AI, to them embedding it into their core operations. Procurement teams will be increasingly expected to work alongside AI agents to support in areas such as research, analysis, risk monitoring, and sourcing, so that the real people can focus on the higher-value strategic work.
“Organisations will also have to balance typical cost objectives with the continued increased focus on resilience, sustainability, and supply chain risk. Real-time data and predictive insights will become more accessible, and therefore more valuable, when it comes to making better-informed decisions.
“The teams and functions that perform best moving forwards will be those that don’t concern themselves with trying to replace roles or jobs with AI, but that work to successfully combine technology, data, and human expertise so that they can operate more strategically, working together for a better impact on performance.”