Cyber threats are now the number one concern for supply chain leaders, edging out tariffs in a new national survey of industry executives. The findings come from West Monroe’s latest Quarterly Supply Chain Poll, conducted March 18–24 across 250 executives in manufacturing, retail, and distribution.
When asked to rank the biggest risks facing their supply chains, 23% of respondents chose cybersecurity. Tariffs came in second at 20%, a notable result given the survey was completed just before President Trump announced plans for new reciprocal tariffs on imported goods.
The survey also found that 89% of companies made supply chain changes in the first quarter. More than half said they adjusted their product, materials, or sourcing mix. Only 11% said they made minimal or no changes.
AI adoption is also widespread. Ninety-eight percent of respondents said they implemented AI in their supply chain operations during Q1, but many say the return on that investment is still unclear. “While companies are overwhelmingly integrating AI into their supply chains, many are still struggling to find meaningful ROI,” said Jeremy Tancredi, a partner at West Monroe.
Leaders are continuing to make rapid changes, even without full certainty. “Supply chains are proactively managing disruption, even if they can’t fully control threats like cybersecurity and tariffs,” said Brian Pacula, also a partner at West Monroe.