The year 2024 has rapidly reshuffled companies’ strategic priorities at an unprecedented pace. Between new European regulations, repositioning of supply chains, and accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence, the business world has undergone transformations that go beyond mere cyclical adjustments.
European AI Act: a regulatory constraint redefining corporate governance
The European regulation on artificial intelligence came into effect on August 1, 2024. Far from being just a principle-based text, it imposes concrete work on companies: inventorying their uses of AI, assessing the risk level of each deployed system, and documenting the governance of the models used.
Some prohibitions began to apply as early as February 2025, while obligations regarding high-risk systems follow a progressive timeline. For general management, this means mobilizing legal, technical, and operational resources on a subject that was recently the sole responsibility of the IT department.
This framework places Europe in a unique position compared to the United States and China, where AI regulation follows different paths. For companies operating across multiple continents, compliance becomes a distinct line item in both expense and organization. Those following business news on Harakiwi have been able to gauge the scale of the undertaking from the very first months.
Duty of vigilance and supply chain: sustainability becomes a legal obligation
The European directive on corporate duty of vigilance was definitively adopted in May 2024. It goes beyond the framework of classic ESG reporting by requiring large companies to prevent and address human rights and environmental violations, not only in their own activities but also among their subcontractors and suppliers.
Specifically, the companies concerned must establish alert mechanisms, climate transition plans, and procedures for assessing their business partners. The logic of “I publish an annual report” gives way to a logic of continuous monitoring of the value chain.
What this changes for procurement and subcontracting
The procurement departments are on the front lines. Selecting a supplier based solely on price becomes risky if they cannot demonstrate compliance with the directive’s requirements. Field feedback varies on this point: some large companies have already tightened their specifications, while others are waiting for national implementing decrees before modifying their processes.
The impact on SMEs supplying large groups remains an open question. They are not directly targeted by the text, but the pressure mechanically trickles down through contracts.
Logistical resilience and nearshoring: procurement trends in 2024
Disruptions in the Red Sea and ongoing geopolitical tensions have reinforced a trend already underway: the geographical diversification of supplies. Nearshoring (bringing production closer to the final market) and friendshoring (choosing partners in allied countries) are no longer just consulting concepts but concrete budgetary decisions.
- The supply chain management software market is experiencing sustained growth, driven by the need for real-time visibility on goods flows.
- The integration of AI in logistics is progressing, with documented use cases in route optimization, demand forecasting, and inventory management.
- Companies that invested in multiple sourcing before 2024 have better absorbed shocks than those that remained dependent on a single supplier.
The available data does not yet allow for precise measurement of the net cost of nearshoring compared to the savings achieved by reducing risks. The calculation heavily depends on the sector and the logistical maturity of each company.
Artificial intelligence in operations: beyond the promise, concrete barriers
The vast majority of organizations invested in AI in 2024. The topic has moved beyond the experimentation phase into deployment, with results varying significantly by sector and company size.
Adoption and resistance on the ground
One of the most documented barriers remains team buy-in. Automating a process is not just about plugging in a tool: it requires training, reassurance, and sometimes reorganizing roles. Automation is progressing faster than the adaptation of internal skills.
In logistics, AI applied to demand forecasting or warehouse optimization shows measurable gains. In contrast, in support functions (HR, finance, legal), feedback is more mixed. The quality of internal data directly affects the relevance of results, and many companies discover at this stage that their databases are inadequate.
Skills and training: a persistent bottleneck
The lack of qualified profiles in AI and data science remains a structural barrier. Companies that anticipated this need by training their existing employees, rather than solely recruiting externally, seem better positioned to absorb ongoing transformations.
- Internal training on generative AI tools has accelerated in large companies, with dedicated programs launched throughout 2024.
- SMEs, lacking equivalent training budgets, rely more on turnkey solutions offered by software vendors.
- The risk of a digital divide between large companies and SMEs is a concern for professional federations.
The year 2024 will mark an operational turning point more than a technological one for the business world. European regulations (AI Act, duty of vigilance) have transformed once peripheral topics into top management priorities. The resilience of supply chains and the integration of AI into operations remain ongoing challenges, where the gaps between prepared companies and laggards continue to widen.
