Episode
EP 07: Procurement as Ecosystem Builder in the Age of AI W/ Saurabh Gupta
- Podcast
- Art of Procurement
- Published
- May 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1844
- Processing state
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- https://artofprocurement.libsyn.com/07-provider-of-the-week-hfs
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Summary
"Procurement has to become an ecosystem builder for the enterprise, because no enterprise can do everything by itself in today's world." - Saurabh Gupta Procurement leaders are feeling the pressure to "be AI-first," yet most struggle to get past the hype and deliver real business value. With AI reshaping buying categories and challenging process norms, now is the time to rethink procurement's role. In this ProcureTech Insider episode, Saurabh Gupta, President of HFS, joins Jyothi Hartley to talk candidly about how AI is forcing procurement to confront old habits and rethink category strategy. Saurabh introduces practical frameworks for CPOs striving to become strategic partners, not just operational gatekeepers. He shares how blending services and software is creating a new buying challenge, and why procurement must finally forge closer ties to business outcomes and work across traditional silos. In this episode, Saurabh discusses how to: Pinpoint the "debts" holding procurement back from adopting AI Build a balanced 4P framework for tracking AI's value Prepare for the rise of "services as software" and what it means for category management Shift the procurement mindset from reactive support to enterprise ecosystem builder Links: Saurabh Gupta on LinkedIn The CPO mandate: Seize the AI moment and claim the strategy seat Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube