Webinar: AI-Driven Procurement From Experiment to Strategy
Amazon Business, in partnership with Procurement Magazine, is hosting an exclusive webinar on how AI-powered procurement solutions are empowering companies.
There has been no bigger change to the procurement world than that of AI-powered solutions, which have transformed the industry before our very eyes.
With so much buzz around the new technology, the idea of how to implement these tools can be quite daunting for teams who are looking at the tangible benefits of using such tools.
An exclusive webinar being hosted by Procurement Magazine in partnership with Amazon Business will explore how AI-powered procurement solutions are helping businesses streamline operations, manage risk and unlock greater efficiency. Attendees will gain practical insight into the technologies, trends and strategies influencing modern procurement and discover how to build a more agile and resilient procurement function.
AI-Driven Procurement Strategy for Modern Business takes place on May 28, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM BST; to register for the webinar, click here.
Bridging the innovation gap
During this session, our expert speakers will dive into the pivotal role of AI in modern procurement. We will explore how advanced analytics can sharpen decision-making, how automation strengthens supply chain resilience and the delicate art of balancing innovation with governance to drive genuine business value.
Attendees will gain a clear understanding of emerging AI trends, learn actionable strategies to increase operational efficiency and discover practical paths for procurement transformation through real-world industry perspectives.
This discussion arrives at a critical turning point for finance and procurement teams. In 2026, AI is no longer a luxury or an experiment; it is a fundamental requirement for a smart, sustainable strategy. As organisations scale and regulatory landscapes grow more complex, teams relying on manual or semi-manual processes risk losing their competitive edge to more agile, automated peers.
The urgency is supported by recent data from Raindrop Systems, which reveals a significant disconnect within global procurement functions. While a staggering 83% of professionals feel personally responsible for driving innovation, only 27% believe they have the tools and conditions necessary to actually deliver it.
The report highlights a persistent friction between traditional metrics and modern ambitions. Nearly half of professionals are still measured primarily on cost savings and risk mitigation, even though one in three sees their greatest value as a driver of overall business growth.
This widening gap between the ambition of the modern procurement professional and their current capability to innovate marks a defining challenge for the industry. AI is now emerging as the essential bridge to close that gap and empower teams to meet their strategic potential.
Whether you are seeking to move beyond cost-saving KPIs or looking to integrate agentic AI into your existing tech stack, this session provides the roadmap for high-impact digital evolution.
To register for the webinar, click here.
Meet the speaker
George Nico, Director at Optis
George leads large, complex technology programmes; lately with a heavy focus on AI. Almost a decade at Optis has taken him from analyst to director, working across multiple industries including aviation, automotive, healthcare, financial services and manufacturing. He sits between business strategy and the actual technology and makes sure the two are talking seamlessly.
He describes the work he cares about right now as figuring out where agentic AI actually fits, what it actually changes and how to deploy it in a way that earns its place in the stack. George is detail-oriented to a fault, which he says has turned out to be pretty useful when you're building things that need to work.
George also pays close attention to what AI is becoming. It's evolving faster than humans can fathom and he'd argue it sits further along the consciousness gradient than most people are ready to admit. That belief shapes how he builds with it; not just as a tool, but as something worth understanding deeply.
Outside of client work, George runs a homelab and self-hosts his own infrastructure; he believes the best way to understand how technology works and where it's heading is to live in it.
To register for the webinar, click here.
