Cut inventory 15-25% with AI-enabled planning
Too much of the wrong stock, stock-outs on the items that matter, and working capital locked in inventory that should be cash. Better planning fixes all three at once.
9 min read
Why planning leaks cash
Most planning runs on inaccurate forecasts and safety stock held to cover for them. Demand signals sit in one system, inventory in another, and supplier performance in a spreadsheet nobody trusts. Planners spend the week reconciling data instead of making decisions, so the operation reacts to demand instead of anticipating it.
Forecast better, then position smarter
AI-enabled demand planning lifts forecast accuracy cycle over cycle, which means less buffer is needed for the same fill rate. Multi-echelon inventory optimization then right-sizes safety stock across every tier of the network at once, rather than optimizing each location in isolation.
S&OP ties it together: a single approved plan that reconciles demand, supply, inventory, and financial targets. AI agents prepare the scenarios; your planners and ours approve the call.
- Improve forecast accuracy with AI models validated by planners.
- Right-size safety stock across echelons with multi-echelon optimization.
- Run S&OP as a monthly cadence with one approved operating plan.
The outcome
The typical result is a 15-25% inventory reduction with fewer stock-outs and a measurable lift in OTIF on priority lanes, plus 10-20% procurement savings as the model matures. Humans approve every replenishment policy change.
- Lower forecast error means less safety stock for the same fill rate.
- Multi-echelon optimization positions buffer at the right tier, not every location.
- S&OP turns disconnected plans into one approved operating plan.
- Typical result: 15-25% lower inventory, fewer stock-outs, higher OTIF.
Multi-echelon inventory optimization sets inventory and safety stock levels across every stage of the network at once, from suppliers to distribution centers to forward stock, rather than optimizing each location in isolation. It positions the right buffer at the right tier and frees working capital.
It is always human-orchestrated. AI agents generate forecasts, run scenarios, and recommend inventory and procurement moves, but your planners and InfoSun experts approve the decisions before they execute.
See what this looks like on your operation.
Request a planning assessmentWritten and reviewed by the InfoSun operations team. Last updated July 14, 2026.