The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Supply Chains: Theoretical Evolution, Core Effects and Future Prospects

In the VUCA environment, the development logic of supply chains has shifted from “efficiency-driven” to “resilience-driven”. Artificial intelligence as a new generation of general-purpose technology is deeply embedded in supply chains. However, existing research lacks systematic integration. Based on 24 articles in the past two years, covering data from A-share listed companies, provincial panel data, and case studies, this paper adopts the methods of literature review and theoretical integration to construct a systematic analysis framework. The research finds that the impact of AI on supply chains is concentrated in four core dimensions: multi-dimensional enhancement of supply chain resilience, systematic reconstruction of supply chain structure, comprehensive optimization of operational efficiency, and precise prevention and control of various risks. It exerts its influence through three mechanisms: technological empowerment, organizational collaboration, and network spillover. Moreover, the empowerment effect shows significant heterogeneity influenced by enterprise, industry, regional, and environmental characteristics. At the same time, it faces challenges such as data and technology constraints, ethical governance dilemmas, and the absence of institutional standards.

Keywords: artificial intelligence; supply chain resilience; mechanism of action; hete-rogeneous characteristics; digital and intelligent supply chain.