---
# Treat AI Agents Like Colleagues, Not Tools: Vineet Khanna on Supply Chain AI
**URL:** https://www.sigmoid.com/events/podcast/treat-ai-agents-like-colleagues-not-tools-vineet-khanna-on-supply-chain-ai/
Date: 2026-09-21
Author: Joha Momin
Post Type: page
Summary: Podcast Treat AI agents like colleagues, not tools: Vineet Khanna on supply chain AI GUEST SPEAKER Vineet Khanna Founder & CEO at...Read More...
---
Podcast
# Treat AI agents like colleagues, not tools: Vineet Khanna on supply chain AI
GUEST SPEAKER
#### Vineet Khanna
Founder & CEO at Advanter Advisory I Ex - Global Head of Supply Chain, SVP at Nestlé
[Watch episode 8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcKSVgqyt3g)
Sept 10th 2026 | Episode 8 | 40 mins
Reimagine with AI
Most CPG leaders are already deploying agentic AI in their supply chains - but Gartner projects 70% of these programs will fail by 2029. In this episode, Imteaz Ahmed sits down with Vineet Khanna, who led global supply chains at Nestle for decades, to unpack the real gap between planning and execution - and what actually separates the winners from the write-offs.
### Key topics covered:
- **Why treating AI agents as "tools" instead of hires is the root cause of most
failed deployments
- **The real case study: one CPG spent 15 months just getting agents to understand business context before seeing results
- **What "trust" means when procurement agents start negotiating with
supplier agents
- **The decisions Vineet says should never be handed to a machine (network investment, confidential innovation, supplier blacklisting)
- **Why legacy brand equity does not count for anything to an algorithmic buyer - and what does
- **How supply chain control towers are evolving from visibility to prescriptive, real-time decision-making
- **The career risk for new grads who never learn supply chain manually before agents take over
## Our podcast host
#### Imteaz Ahamed
Host | Ex- Reckitt
Imteaz Ahamed is a data-driven leader with 20 years of experience in eCommerce and marketing. He helps enterprises drive business performance and create competitive advantages by deploying digital strategies, developing innovation roadmaps and global operating models. He is also a podcaster and an international keynote speaker.
---
## Navigation
- [Company](/about-sigmoid)
- [Newsroom](/newsroom)
- [Life at Sigmoid](/careers)
- [Takshashila](/takshashila)
- [Contact Us](/contact-us)
- [AI Strategy Blueprint your AI advantage](/enterprise-ai-strategy/)
- [Generative AI Drive innovation with Generative AI](/generative-ai/)
- [Responsible AI Build trust with ethical AI practices](/responsible-ai-in-enterprise/)
- [Agentic AI Reshape business with scalable agentic systems](/agentic-ai-solutions/)
- [AI Managed Services Ensure reliable AI performance](/ai-managed-services/)
- [Advanced Analytics Transform your business with data-driven insights](/advanced-data-analytics-solutions/)
- [Download whitepaper](/ebooks-whitepapers/the-new-qsr-playbook-transforming-menu-strategy-into-a-growth-engine/)
- [Data Strategy Strong data foundations for scalable AI](/data-analytics-strategy/)
- [Data Management Leverage data as a strategic asset](/ai-data-management-services/)
- [DataOps Automate data for speed and quality](/data-devops/)
- [Forward Deployed Engineering Scale enterprise AI with FDEs & specialized agents](/forward-deployed-engineering/)
- [Data Engineering Deliver insights faster with scalable pipelines](/data-engineering/)
- [Cloud Transformation Modernize data to maximise efficiency](/cloud-migration/)
- [Download whitepaper](/ebooks-whitepapers/building-data-products-in-a-data-mesh-to-drive-business-value/)
- [Data Modeling Structure data for better decisions](/data-modeling-services/)
- [Data Visualization Transform data into actionable stories](/data-visualization-service/)
- [BI Migration Enhance decision making with modern BI tools](/bi-migration/)
- [Data Observability Build trust with healthy, accurate data](/data-observability/)
- [Automated Insights Make smarter decisions with auto-generated insights](/automated-insights/)
- [Download whitepaper](/ebooks-whitepapers/how-cognitive-bi-drives-an-intelligent-enterprise/)
- [CPG & Retail End-to-end analytics for planning, operations, and commercial excellence](/industries/cpg-analytics/)
- [Life Sciences Trusted intelligence across clinical, commercial, and operational workflows](/industries/life-sciences/)
- [Banking & Financial Services AI-powered analytics for risk, compliance and customer experience](/industries/banking-financial-analytics-services/)
- [Insurance Modernize core insurance platforms and unlock new revenue streams with AI](/industries/insurance-reimagined-with-ai/)
- [Download infographic](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Infographic_Maturity-Framework-for-Scaling-Agentic-AI.pdf)
- [Helios Turn marketing data into measurable business outcomes](/marketing-suite-helios/)
- [Stratos AI-powered platform for resilient supply chains](/supply-chain-stratos/)
- [DataGuard Agentic AI platform for data quality and governance](/data-quality-dataguard/)
- [MediaIQ Advanced platform for in-flight marketing measurement](/accelerators/sigmoid-mediaiq-multi-touch-attribution-tool/)
- [CampaignIQ AI-driven platform for optimized campaign budget allocation](/accelerators/sigmoid-campaigniq/)
- [AssistBot GenAI email assistant that automates human-like responses](/accelerators/sigmoid-assistbot-for-ai-email-assistant/)
- [CreativeBot GenAI tool for personalized and brand-aligned creative design](/accelerators/sigmoid-creativebot/)
- [SocialBot GenAI platform to analyze digital conversations and trends](/accelerators/#marketing|socialbot)
- [DemandIQ Predict trends accurately and optimize inventory management](/accelerators/sigmoid-demandiq/)
- [NetworkIQ Track and optimize logistics operations in real-time to quickly address disruptions](/accelerators/sigmoid-networkiq/)
- [SupplyIQ End-to-end platform to optimize supply chain operations](/accelerators/sigmoid-supplyiq/)
- [ProcurementIQ Automated procurement operations for maximum savings, compliance and efficiency](/accelerators/sigmoid-procurementiq/)
- [RapidML Accelerated deployment for machine learning models](/accelerators/sigmoid-rapidml/)
- [DataGuard Comprehensive platform for proactive data quality management](/accelerators/data-quality-tool-sigmoid-dataguard/)
- [CloudPulse Cloud cost optimization platform with multi-cloud management](/accelerators/sigmoid-cloudpulse/)
- [RAPID GenAI foundation with built-in governance and cost clarity](/accelerators/sigmoid-rapid/)
- [AnalyticsBot Conversational analytics for faster business decisions](/accelerators/sigmoid-analyticsbot/)
- [DataConnect Seamlessly ingest, integrate and harmonize data from diverse sources](/accelerators/sigmoid-dataconnect/)
- [Reconica AI-powered data harmonization and reconciliation engine](/accelerators/sigmoid-reconica/)
- [ConverseBot GenAI driven insights generation for automated insights from reports](/accelerators/#sales|conversebot)
- [iNRM Cross-lever revenue growth optimization platform](/accelerators/sigmoid-inrm/)
- [AssortmentIQ Optimize shelf layouts and assortment mix at scale with AI-based insights](/accelerators/sigmoid-assortmentiq/)
- [Read whitepaper](/ebooks-whitepapers/building-agentic-ai-chatbots-for-business-process-transformation/)
- [Listen Podcast](/events/podcast/how-jack-in-the-box-is-redefining-personalization-and-supply-chain-with-ai/)
- [Blogs](/blogs/)
- [White Papers](/ebooks-whitepapers/)
- [Case Studies](/case-studies/)
- [Podcast](/events/podcast/#Podcasts)
- [Download case study](/case-studies/ai-based-dynamic-targeting-and-personalized-hcp-engagement-for-pharma-marketing/)
- [ConverseBot](/accelerators/#sales|conversebot/)
---
## Footer Links
- [Talk to our AI experts](/contact-us/)
- [AI Strategy](/enterprise-ai-strategy/)
- [Agentic AI](/agentic-ai-solutions/)
- [Generative AI](/generative-ai/)
- [AI Managed Services](/ai-managed-services/)
- [Responsible AI](/responsible-ai-in-enterprise/)
- [Advanced Analytics](/advanced-data-analytics-solutions/)
- [Data Strategy](/data-analytics-strategy//)
- [Data Engineering](/data-engineering/)
- [Data Management](/ai-data-management-services/)
- [Cloud Transformation](/cloud-transformation/)
- [DataOps](/data-devops/)
- [Forward Deployed Engineering](/forward-deployed-engineering/)
- [Data Visualization](/data-visualization-service/)
- [Automated Insights](/automated-insights/)
- [BI Migration](/bi-migration/)
- [Data Modeling](/data-modeling-services/)
- [Data Observability](/data-observability/)
- [CPG & Retail](/industries/cpg-analytics/)
- [Life Sciences](/industries/life-sciences/)
- [Banking & Financial Services](/industries/banking-financial-analytics-services/)
- [Insurance](/industries/insurance-reimagined-with-ai/)
- [Case Studies](/case-studies/)
- [Thought Leadership](/ebooks-whitepapers/)
- [Blogs](/blogs/)
- [Helios](/marketing-suite-helios/)
- [Stratos](/supply-chain-stratos/)
- [DataGuard](/data-quality-dataguard/)
- [Company](/about-sigmoid/)
- [Newsroom](/newsroom/)
- [Accelerators](/accelerators/)
- [Careers](/careers/)
- [Privacy Policy |](/privacy-policy/)
- [Cookie Policy](/cookie-policy/)