Practical Application of Artifical Intelligence in the Purchasing Department
Workshop Objectives
- Understanding the basic concepts of AI and its transformative potential in the area of purchasing.
- Familiarization with key areas of AI application in purchasing processes (including expenditure analysis, supplier management, negotiations, contract management).
- Acquiring practical skills in using selected types of AI tools to solve real-world problems in the Purchasing Department.
- Analyzing case studies to understand how European companies are implementing AI in purchasing and what benefits they are achieving.
- Identifying potential applications of AI in your own organization and developing a preliminary action plan.
- Discuss key legal and ethical issues related to the use of AI in the EU (including aspects related to the GDPR and the AI Act).
Benefits of Participation
After my workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify opportunities for automating and optimizing purchasing processes using AI.
- Prepare requests for proposals and communicate with suppliers more effectively with the support of AI.
- Support pricing, data analysis, compilation, and comparison processes using AI tools.
- Increase the effectiveness of negotiations by using AI-based analyses.
- Better understand and apply language models (LLMs) to purchasing tasks such as document analysis and content generation.
- Take a conscious approach to data security and compliance (GDPR, AI Act) when implementing AI solutions.
- Influence productivity growth and generate savings in the Purchasing Department.
Target Group
Employees of the Purchasing Department.
Methodology
My workshop is highly interactive and practical. It combines the presentation of key theoretical concepts with intensive practical exercises, case study analysis, and demonstrations of tools in action. Participants will work individually and in small groups, actively participating in discussions and solving tasks.
To ensure effectiveness and full engagement, participants are required to have a quiet workspace, a microphone and camera turned on, and the ability to fully focus on the workshop content. A 10-minute break for rest and regeneration is scheduled during each hour of training.
Tools and Platforms
During the practical part of the workshop, I will demonstrate and use examples of publicly available AI-based tools and platforms that can support purchasing processes. These examples include data analysis tools, language models (LLMs) supporting document creation and communication, task automation platforms, and tools to support negotiation decisions. In the workshop, I will present about 10 types or areas of application for such tools, without specifying the names of specific commercial products.
Case Studies
During the workshop, I will discuss and analyze at least four practical case studies of AI implementations in European companies from various industries. These examples will show how AI is used to:
- Optimize expense analysis and identify areas for savings.
- Supporting strategic supplier management and risk assessment in the supply chain.
- Automating purchasing document processing, such as comparing offers and analyzing contracts.
- Increasing operational efficiency and reducing the time needed to complete key purchasing tasks.
- Supporting sustainable purchasing practices through ESG data analysis.
Training Program (total of 8 hours)
I can conduct the workshop in two time variants:
Option A: On-site (1 day)
Block 1: Introduction to AI in Purchasing and Key Areas of Application.
- Basic concepts and ideas of artificial intelligence relevant to purchasing.
- Identification of the main areas of AI application in purchasing processes.
- Strategic spend analytics and savings detection.
- Automation of routine purchasing processes.
- Supplier and risk management in the supply chain.
Block 2: AI Tools Supporting Purchasing – Overview of Types (Part 1).
- Language models (LLMs) in communication with suppliers and document creation.
- Tools for intelligent expense analysis and cost categorization.
- Platforms that automate purchasing processes and document matching.
- Market monitoring and price prediction systems.
15-minute break Block 3: Case Studies 1 and 2.
- Case Study 1: Implementation of AI in a manufacturing company – challenges, solutions, results.
- Case Study 2: Transformation of the purchasing department at a European retailer.
- Analysis of key success factors and difficulties encountered.
- Conclusions and best practices from both implementations.
Block 4: Practical Exercise 1: Use of Language Models (LLMs).
- Basics of effective query formulation for language models.
- Practical applications: creating requests for proposals, document analysis.
- Strategies for verification and quality control of AI-generated results.
- Application in the daily work of a purchasing specialist.
Lunch break Block 5: AI in Purchasing Data Analysis.
- Basics of purchasing data analytics using AI.
- Classification of expenses and identification of anomalies.
- Forecasting price trends and cost optimization.
- Transforming analyses into specific optimization measures.
Block 6: Legal and Ethical Issues – GDPR and the AI Act.
- EU regulations on artificial intelligence (EU AI Act).
- Practical aspects of GDPR compliance when implementing AI in purchasing.
- Ethical aspects of using AI in purchasing processes.
- Creating internal policies and standards for responsible AI implementation.
15-minute break Block 7: Practical Exercise 2: Simulation of Data Analysis or Purchasing Decision Support. Case Studies 3 and 4+.
- Simulation of purchasing data analysis using AI tools.
- Practical exercises in identifying savings opportunities.
- Case Study 3: AI in supply chain risk management.
- Case study 4: The use of AI in sustainable purchasing (ESG).
Block 8: Advanced AI Applications, AI Tools Supporting Purchasing – Continuation (Part 2). Practical Exercise 3: Support for the Negotiation or Supplier Management Process. AI Implementation – Planning and Best Practices.
- Advanced applications: recommendation systems, contract management.
- Tools supporting ESG and sustainable procurement.
- Exercise: simulation of an AI-assisted negotiation process.
- Creating an AI implementation plan in the procurement department – step by step.
Q&A Session and Summary.
- Discussion of key conclusions.
- Answers to participants’ questions.
- Next steps and resources for further development.
Option B: Online (2 days)
Day 1:
Block 1: Introduction to AI in Purchasing and Key Areas of Application.
- Basic concepts and ideas of artificial intelligence relevant to purchasing.
- Identification of the main areas of application of AI in purchasing processes.
- Strategic spend analytics and savings detection.
- Automation of routine purchasing processes.
- Supplier and risk management in the supply chain.
10-minute break Block 2: AI Tools Supporting Purchasing – Overview of Types (Part 1).
- Language models (LLMs) in communication with suppliers and document creation.
- Tools for intelligent expense analysis and cost categorization.
- Platforms for automating purchasing processes and document matching.
- Market monitoring and price prediction systems.
10-minute break Block 3: Case Studies 1 and 2.
- Case Study 1: AI implementation in a manufacturing company – challenges, solutions, results.
- Case Study 2: Transformation of the purchasing department at a European retailer.
- Analysis of key success factors and difficulties encountered.
- Conclusions and best practices from both implementations.
10-minute break Block 4: Practical Exercise 1: Use of Language Models (LLMs).
- Basics of effective query formulation for language models.
- Practical applications: creating requests for proposals, document analysis.
- Strategies for verification and quality control of AI-generated results.
- Application in the daily work of a purchasing specialist.
Day 2:
Block 5: AI in Purchasing Data Analysis. Case Studies 3 and 4+.
- Basics of purchasing data analytics using AI.
- Classification of expenses and identification of anomalies.
- Case Study 3: AI in supply chain risk management.
- Case study 4: Use of AI in sustainable purchasing (ESG).
10-minute break Block 6: Legal and ethical issues – GDPR and AI Act. EU regulations on artificial intelligence (EU AI Act).
- Practical aspects of GDPR compliance when implementing AI in purchasing.
10-minute break Block 7: Advanced AI Applications, AI Tools Supporting Purchasing – Continuation (Part 2).
- Advanced applications: recommendation systems, contract management.
- Tools supporting ESG and sustainable procurement.
- Platforms for managing supplier innovation.
- Integration of AI solutions with existing procurement systems.
10-minute break Block 8: Practical Exercise 3: Support for the Negotiation or Supplier Management Process. AI Implementation – Planning and Best Practices. Q&A Session and Summary.
- Exercise: simulation of an AI-assisted negotiation process.
- Discussion of key conclusions.
- Answers to participants’ questions and summary.
Speaker Profile
Arkadiusz (Arek) Skuza is an expert in artificial intelligence and data monetization, with over 20 years of experience in advising European and American company management boards. As a consultant and implementer of AI strategy solutions, Arek specializes in using technology to increase business process efficiency, productivity, and sales and marketing. His achievements include generating savings of $13.3 million in AI projects, significantly shortening product development cycles, and improving sales metrics by 500%.
His clients include Allegro, Ikea, Shell, Maspex, Modoma, Solereis, Krishome, and over 20 other companies in the US and Europe. Arek is a highly regarded trainer and speaker who has conducted over 160 lectures and workshops in Europe and the US on business model transformation and the use of AI. He is a lecturer at American and Polish MBA programs. Arek was elected to the board of Tech Titans, actively engaging in the development of AI in the US state of Texas. His approach combines deep technical knowledge with a practical understanding of business needs, making him a unique expert in the field of AI and business innovation.
Arek’s publications can be found at https://arekskuza.com/the-innovation-blog/.
Organizational Details and Pricing Options
- Duration: A total of 8 workshop hours for each group.
- Time options:
- Online: 2 days with 4 hours of workshops each day.
- On-site: 1 day, 8 hours of workshops.
- Location: Online or on-site (from August 2025).
- Cost: The cost of an 8-hour workshop for one group is €3,400.
- For an on-site workshop (available from August 2025), the cost of my travel from Spain to Poland and back, accommodation, and local transportation to the training venue must be added to this amount.