AI for Supply Chain Optimization Training Class
Friday, September 11, 2026, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
Presented by EDA & Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC)
Location: Municipal Office Center, Conference Room 408, 100 McMorran Boulevard, Port Huron, Michigan 48060
AI for Supply Chain Optimization
Training Course Presented by the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center
REGISTRATION FEE: $495 per person
GRANT REIMBURSEMENT AVAILABLE THAT WILL COVER THE ENTIRE REGISTRATION FEE
DESCRIPTION: This course explores how artificial intelligence is transforming procurement and planning in small to mid-sized manufacturers. Participants will learn how AI can accelerate supplier engagement, streamline sourcing decisions, improve demand forecasting, and optimize inventory planning. Through applied case studies based on MMTC’s Real Factory pen production simulation, participants will actively engage in using AI tools to draft supplier communications, analyze market signals, and generate shortterm demand forecasts. The session blends lecture, demonstration, and hands-on activities to build confidence in using AI as a powerful supply chain partner, while reinforcing the importance of human oversight and judgment.
OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course, participants will be able to explain the basics of AI and its applications within supply chain management, identify common supply chain challenges and understand where AI can provide value, and use AI tools to draft supplier requests, support negotiation strategies, and evaluate supplier performance data. They will also be able to apply AI-based demand planning methods to forecast short-term needs and adjust procurement strategies, recognize the limitations of AI outputs and integrate human expertise for validation and decision-making, and develop strategies for piloting AI solutions within their own supply chain context.
COURSE KEY TOPICS:
• Introduction: What is AI and how is it relevant to supply chain?
• Pain points in SMB supply chains: procurement, forecasting, inventory, logistics
• Procurement applications: quote generation, market analysis, intelligent sourcing, supplier selection
• Planning applications: forecasting, demand planning with AI, using external signals
• Hands-on Activity 1: Supplier engagement and negotiation drafting with AI
• Hands-on Activity 2: Demand planning and forecasting with AI
• Implementation in SMB context: quick wins, barriers, and adoption strategies
• Ethical and practical considerations: data quality, human-in-the-loop validation
TARGET AUDIENCE: Supervisors, engineers, continuous improvement professionals, quality leaders, plant operations managers, project leads, and anyone responsible for making supply chain decisions within their organizations. This includes individuals seeking practical, hands-on skills for applying AI tools to real supply chain challenges, whether they are seasoned managers looking to modernize processes or early-career professionals eager to explore innovative solutions for improving efficiency and resilience.
