872: Beyond Automation: Accelerating Agentic AI Transformation in Procurement W/ Vishal Patel

"The future of procurement isn't actually AI. It's people using AI to improve business outcomes and improve their own value add." - Vishal Patel, SVP Product & Customer Marketing at Ivalua Many procurement teams have adopted AI in some aspect, but only a few have figured out how to turn those early experiments into sustainable, scalable business value. With market expectations rising and teams overstretched, leaders are being challenged to translate AI's potential into measurable outcomes. In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Vishal Patel, SVP of Product and Customer Marketing at Ivalua, at their Procurement Innovation On Tour event. Vishal candidly shares what separates companies truly scaling value from those still spinning their wheels, from focusing on quick wins to treating AI as strategic muscle instead of just another tool. He also shares several practical ways procurement can accelerate their AI journey, without waiting for perfect conditions… or data.  In this episode, Vishal discusses how to: -Identify quick-win AI projects that unlock real business value   -Turn data challenges into progress instead of roadblocks   -Build confidence and trust through transparency and feedback   -Avoid "agent sprawl" and focus on scalable skills   -Make AI a capability, not just software   Links: Vishal Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishal-patel-841574/  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement