Supply Chain Now – The Buzz: AI and the Two-Day Work Week Debate

Date: January 30, 2026
Hosts: Scott Luton & Marty Parker
Special Guest: Heidi Benko (Vice President, Product Management & Strategy at Infor Nexus)

Episode Overview

This jam-packed edition of The Buzz examines the intersections of AI, global supply chain trends, workforce issues, and sustainability. Widely acknowledged for its upbeat, informed tone and direct engagement with supply chain professionals, the podcast zeroes in on both strategic challenges and the real-life quirks of working in supply chain today. Special guest Heidi Benko brings insights from her work at Infor Nexus, joining hosts Scott Luton and Marty Parker for discussions on everything from winter storm preparedness to the potential for a two-day work week thanks to AI.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Industry Updates & Fun Observations (00:02–12:11)

• Automotive Industry Trends (02:38):

  • New car average price in the US is nearing $49,000.
  • US automotive sector still recovering post-pandemic; estimated 2026 sales may dip below 16.3 million vehicles.
  • Automotive sector makes up 4.8% of US GDP.
  • “Was your first car $49,000? It was $1,000, Scott. In cash.” (Marty, 02:38)

• American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) Feature:

  • Sharing weekly urgent needs with listeners for those able to contribute via supply chain infrastructure.

• Never Normal Series Promotion:

  • Highlighting upcoming panel with senior supply chain executives from Hershey, P&G, Dannon, and 3M, hosted by Corinne Bursa (Feb 18 @ 12pm, free registration).

• Trade Shows and Industry Events (08:11):

  • Trade show season is back; recommendations to attend events like Modex (free registration, Atlanta-based with 40,000 attendees expected), Manifest, Shop Talk, ParcelForm, etc.
  • “Best practice is prepare because it’s overwhelming. Make sure you’ve got your map.” (Marty, 09:26)

2. Freight Trends & Data Updates (10:29–12:09)

• US Bank Payment Index:
  • New inaugural Freight Payment Index: Rates Edition in partnership with DAT Freight.
  • Anticipating the release of Q4 2025 data and trends content.

3. Enter Heidi Benko: Warm-Up and Retail Resilience (12:11–17:27)

• Fun Opener (14:00):

  • Team discusses foods they dislike that everyone else loves.
    • Heidi: “I think mashed potatoes.” (13:53)
    • Marty: “It is guacamole and avocado. My best friend’s mom used to cook peanut brittle and we’d go in eating it hot.” (14:27)

• Winter Storms & Walmart’s AI-Powered Response (17:10):

  • Walmart deployed AI-driven systems to anticipate demand during winter storm ‘Fern’, enabling proactive restocking and inventory staging ahead of weather events.
  • “That kind of looks like my street without all the pretty trees here in Manhattan ... It shows the power of AI.” (Heidi, 17:27)
  • “Forecasting is only useful if you execute against it.” (Marty, 18:11)

4. Tariffs, Trade Policy, and Market Uncertainty (18:34–23:03)

• Survey from CNBC & ASCM (18:34):
  • New tariffs have driven up supply chain costs (10–15%), with layoffs at 32% of companies surveyed—double the amount from earlier in 2025.
  • Concerns about recession persist; refund uncertainties if tariffs are reversed.
  • “There’s so much about the uncertainty… even just like we’re talking about, Supreme Court might reverse the tariffs. How do you plan if they do or if they don’t?” (Heidi, 21:04)
  • “You know, you’ve seen me in these podcasts, I’m not a fan of tariffs … and we’re bleeding jobs as a result.” (Marty, 22:17)

5. Manufacturing Workforce Gaps & Reshoring (23:03–31:50)

• New Projects & Skills Gaps (27:18):

  • Tens of billions in investments (Micron, Samsung, Stellantis, Lilly) but workforce challenges may constrain success.
  • Key findings from a University of Tennessee white paper:
    • Supply chain management knowledge gap, especially among firms reshoring production
    • Need for more data analytics, leadership, and communication skills.
  • “It’s the right skill sets … but everyone’s been concerned for years, and the concern just seems to be accelerating.” (Heidi, 27:28)
  • “So many Americans don’t want to drive trucks, work in manufacturing plants, work in warehouses … It’s a mismatch you just can’t fix in a year." (Marty, 28:42)

• Data Centers & Infrastructure (30:56):

  • Data centers drive massive regional infrastructure upgrades and energy demand, requiring new regulatory and technical solutions.
  • “Is it exceptional coffee at the right price? … We’re gonna find out.” (Heidi, 31:02, on coffee bars at data centers)

6. Technology & Retail Innovation—NRF Insights (34:17–38:11)

• Key Takeaways from NRF (35:43):
  • AI is now central across planning, design, finance, and supply chain in retail.
  • “Agentic AI” enables seamless, automated workflows like replenishment and risk flagging across enterprises.
  • Success depends on unified data and process intelligence.
  • “It’s AI and intelligence being the theme … Not just in predictive forecasting, but on the execution side.” (Heidi, 35:43)
  • “Every time I mention AI in class, we have to put a buck in a jar … But this is about integrating finance, customer, and external data to enable coordinated enterprise action.” (Marty, 37:02)

7. AI’s Impact: The Two-Day Work Week Debate (38:11–42:44)

• Do Improvements Mean Much Less Work? (40:38):
  • Bill Gates suggested a two-day work week may be possible in less than 10 years thanks to AI and automation.
  • “Right now, folks are looking for AI to make a reasonable work week … two days seems like a stretch. Four, maybe.” (Heidi, 40:38)
  • “We went from seven-day to five-day work weeks over the last century. I think four-day weeks are inevitable, but two? Not so fast.” (Marty, 41:36)

8. Innovations and Recognition—Infor’s Roadmap (44:22–47:28)

• Infor’s Global Trade Management Leadership:
  • Recognized by IDC MarketScape as a leader for 2025–2026.
  • Emphasis on unifying logistics, compliance, and finance data for holistic supply chain management.
  • 2026 focus: Agentic AI, data quality, and enhanced decision-making tools for clients.
  • “You have to bring together supply, demand, finance, logistics … we’re putting more data quality intelligence in place for better decision making.” (Heidi, 44:41)
  • “I’m very positive about connecting siloed information … whole new industries will come out of this.” (Marty, 46:17)

Notable Quotes

• On supply chain AI:

  • “There’s no way they could have done this before… AI is basically essential now for companies to run their supply chains and be proactive, not just reactive.”
    —Heidi, 17:27

• On market uncertainty:

  • “A perfect example: last week the White House rolled out 10% tariffs … just to take them back off less than 24 hours later. You can’t win for losing sometimes.”
    —Scott, 21:50

• On the four-day workweek:

  • “We went from seven to six to five. I think we’ll go to four. I don’t think we’ll go to two that fast.”
    —Marty, 41:36

Timestamped Highlight Segments

• Automotive & Trade Show Updates: 02:38–09:40
• Freight Payment Index & Market Trends: 10:07–12:11
• Winter Storm AI Logistics (Walmart): 17:10–18:34
• Tariffs, Survey, and Uncertainty: 18:34–23:03
• Manufacturing Skills Gaps: 27:18–31:50
• Retail & NRF AI/Tech Trends: 34:17–38:11
• Debate: Two-Day Work Week?: 38:11–42:44
• Infor Product Updates & Future Roadmap: 44:22–47:28

Resources & Ways to Connect

• Infor Nexus/Heidi Benko: Connect via LinkedIn
• Marty Parker: Connect via LinkedIn
• Show Notes, Events, & Resource Hub: SupplyChainNow.com
• U. Tennessee White Paper on Reshoring: UTK Reshoring Workforce Whitepaper (link provided in the episode)

Closing Tone & Takeaway

Lively, direct, and full of industry expertise, this episode delivers practical updates and big-picture context on how supply chain pros are wrestling with fast-changing market conditions, workforce shortages, regulation, and new AI-powered possibilities. The underlying message: change is inevitable, disruption is constant, and success depends on staying engaged, informed, and ready for bold transformation.

“Take one thing you heard from Heidi or Marty and put it into practice. Share it, do something with it. Deeds, not words—it's how we transform supply chain and leave no one behind.”
—Scott, 51:35