How PepsiCo is Using AI to Transform Procurement

When it comes to AI developments, this year has been dominated by Salesforce's Agentforce. 

The agentic AI, which has been showcased at Salesforce's global roadshow, represents a significant and forward-looking digital shift within the use of AI for enterprise applications including procurement processes.

Thanks to global roadshow stops in Tel Aviv, London, Zurich, Seoul and Melbourne, senior leaders have seen first-hand how AI can enhance supply chain strategies and procurement efficiencies.

Following the success of the global event, PepsiCo has become the first major food and beverage company to leverage Agentforce across its procurement operations.

AI integration in procurement processes

PepsiCo's strategic integration of Agentforce within procurement reinforces the brand's commitment to innovative supply chain practices.

By deploying Salesforce's agentic AI system, PepsiCo aims to streamline procurement operations, ensuring data-driven decisions bolster its supply chain resilience, while also driving other key areas such as customer experience.

The collaboration is centred on partnership rather than simple technology adoption, with Salesforce’s Data Cloud synthesising procurement data from multiple sources to construct holistic supplier profiles.

This supports a better-informed and adaptive procurement strategy, while Salesforce's Consumer Goods Cloud equips PepsiCo’s procurement teams with real-time inventory data to refine vendor relationships globally.

Marc Benioff, Salesforce’s Chair and CEO, accentuated the importance of this milestone: “We are thrilled to see PepsiCo, a distinguished player in consumer goods, leading the charge in the digital labour evolution with Agentforce.”

Transforming procurement through AI

The strategic collaboration between humans and AI in procurement is a core focus of Salesforce’s live events.

The company's goal is to harness AI to unlock efficient procurement pathways, ensuring processes sync with evolving consumer demand and supply chain complexities

Athina Kanioura, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at PepsiCo, emphasised this transformation: “Embracing an AI-first approach reimagines procurement, aligning human expertise with intelligent agents for enhanced decision-making and operational excellence.”

While optimism surrounds AI’s potential in procurement, concerns about employment and AI-human job division persist.

Addressing these at the Agentforce World Tour in London, Zahra Bahrololoumi, Salesforce’s UK & Ireland CEO, said: “Our entire philosophy centres on enhancing human productivity rather than replacing it.”

PepsiCo's role as an industry innovator

PepsiCo's implementation of Agentforce sets a precedent in the procurement landscape, likely encouraging broader industry adoption of AI in core procurement tasks.

As PepsiCo products find markets in over 200 countries, the effectiveness of Agentforce in refining procurement and supply chain methodologies will serve as a benchmark for other corporations.

This deployment represents a critical evaluation of Salesforce’s technology on a global scale, with success likely catalysing further AI integration within procurement across diverse sectors.

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