Modern supply chains face significant risks due to their complex and interconnected nature. From natural disasters to geopolitical tensions, businesses often find themselves blindsided by events far beyond their immediate control. According to Jan Balatka, Managing Director at Semantic Visions, the key to resilience in this challenging environment is proactive visibility, powered by artificial intelligence.
Semantic Visions tackles critical supply chain vulnerabilities by providing companies with advanced AI tools that help extend visibility far beyond immediate suppliers. “Most companies have clear visibility only into their direct, Tier 1 suppliers,” Balatka explains. “Our AI maps the entire supply chain down to raw materials, revealing hidden sub-suppliers that companies unknowingly depend upon.”
The AI-driven platform developed by Semantic Visions continuously analyzes millions of global data points from news outlets, customs databases, corporate registries, and specialized regulatory feeds. Unlike traditional methods, it uses native language processing without translation, preserving critical nuances that automated translation can miss. This helps ensure accurate, actionable insights across diverse regions and languages.
“We don’t just provide data, we offer context,” Balatka emphasizes. By creating an extensive “knowledge graph” of interconnected suppliers, facilities, locations, and commodities, Semantic Visions can quickly identify how events in one area might cascade into broader disruptions. According to Balatka in one example, their platform alerted a major European automaker to localized flooding affecting a key aluminum supplier, enabling them to secure alternative sources weeks before competitors experienced shortages.
Integrating AI insights seamlessly into existing supply chain workflows is central to Semantic Visions’ approach. Rather than forcing companies to adopt entirely new systems, their platform enriches existing risk management, ERP, or SCM software. This “smart data feed” strategy allows businesses to react swiftly and confidently.
Looking ahead, Balatka predicts an evolution in AI from reactive tools to proactive partners, anticipating disruptions before they occur. Companies eager to future-proof their supply chains should embrace AI technology now, but with critical scrutiny. “Challenge AI providers to demonstrate how their technology would have predicted past disruptions,” Balatka advises. “If they can convincingly show past successes, you can trust their technology to protect you in the future.”
Proactive risk management driven by advanced AI has become essential for companies navigating global commerce. Semantic Visions’ innovative approach highlights how advanced technology can offer unprecedented resilience, clarity, and confidence in supply chain management.
