AI Rising 2026: The State of Procurement AI

Sponsored by Fairmarkit, this new report from Ardent Partners explores how AI is reshaping procurement in 2026—moving from experimentation to real execution. Based on insights from 300+ procurement leaders, it highlights how organizations are using AI to drive efficiency, improve decision-making, and navigate increasing cost and risk pressures. As AI adoption accelerates, procurement is entering a new era—one defined by automation, intelligence, and scalable impact. This report breaks down where teams are seeing value today and what it takes to successfully operationalize AI.