Procurement is at a genuine inflection point now, according to the 2025 Deloitte Global Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) survey, with every enterprise expecting more from the function despite shrinking resources. The survey reports that enterprise-aligned digital transformation and disciplined Gen AI adoption can help procurement deliver on these heightened expectations. Traditionally, procurement has been riddled with transactional frictions that require manual interventions. That is now changing. CPOs are now seeking intelligent systems that demonstrate clear, measurable, and defensible returns on investment (ROI).
The need of the hour is clear. The next frontier is procurement systems that anticipate needs, negotiate deals, and even execute payments with minimal human oversight. This evolution transforms the procurement function into one that can deliver unprecedented strategic value. It begins by reimagining the entire Source-to-Pay (S2P) ecosystem. Harnessing AI and related technologies help craft proactive strategies that deliver enhanced efficiency and cost savings. Procurement leaders are betting big on intelligent systems that go beyond mere task automation. Gartner predicted a while back that 50% of organizations will support procurement contract management through AI by 2027.
autonomous procurement – unleashing the full S2P potential
Autonomous procurement goes beyond automation to function with adaptive intelligence. Enterprises realize their business goals only when the S2P system performs at its full potential. Some studies even suggest that such levels of maturity can unlock up to 56.4% additional savings. This is particularly significant as an Ardent Partners study titled The State of Source-to-Pay Digitization 2025 identified delivering cost savings as the top priority for CPOs. Beyond savings, the study also identified a few other technology-aided gains such as greater efficiency, improved productivity, higher compliance rates, faster and better decision-making, and better stakeholder relationships. A McKinsey study that said Agentic AI could increase procurement efficiency by 25–40%, echoes these benefits. Taken together, these findings demonstrate why investment in intelligent procurement technology is a strategic imperative for enterprises seeking measurable impact.
To realize these ambitious goals, S2P systems must anticipate needs, identify risks, understand complex and hidden patterns and market signals to aid decision-making for executing precision transactions. Creating an ecosystem in which humans define the strategic intent, and the system orchestrates the execution helps achieve this objective. Intelligent systems that learn continuously from spend patterns, supplier behaviors and market trends can provide timely, actionable recommendations that accelerate time-to-market, optimize working capital, and enhance supplier collaboration.
Thoughtfully aligning people, processes and technology into an intelligent S2P ecosystem lays the foundation for true autonomy. By removing silos and unlocking unified insights across the entire procurement operations, such systems become proactive and resilient. Powered by AI and related technologies, these S2P systems analyze large, complex datasets in real time to anticipate supplier risks, interpret contracts at scale, forecast supply chain disruptions, monitor inventory, initiate sourcing, and more. And in doing so, they infuse genuine autonomy into the function.
the reimagined S2P journey
Here are some pointers for enterprises as they reimagine their S2P journey towards autonomous procurement.
- Integrate fragmented systems into a unified digital backbone, anchored by a modernized S2P platform that includes an advanced procure-to-pay (P2P) service.
- Enable automation of purchase order (PO) creation, invoice validation, and risk-based approval routing through intelligent P2P workflows.
- Redesign processes for autonomy by removing redundant workflows to enable closed-loop learning.
- Include an insight-led enterprise reporting system that delivers real-time visibility and predictive analytics-driven recommendations.
- Adopt a data-first approach while making this shift, as poor data quality and limited access to it remain major roadblocks. In fact, 42% of respondents in the Ardent Partners survey identified this as the top challenge affecting S2P performance.
- Upskill procurement teams with digital skills. About 36% of CPOs identified this as the most pressing talent gap in the Deloitte Global CPO survey.
S2P platforms created using such insight-driven architecture support informed, context-aware decision-making that significantly strengthens governance and compliance. They support automation, innovation, and continuous improvement to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes.
the future of procurement - connected, intelligent, and adaptive
Looking ahead, the natural evolution of the S2P ecosystem is autonomous procurement. It marks a new era of intelligent, anticipatory, and self-optimizing procurement, orchestrated by AI and augmented by human ingenuity. Enterprises that embraced this shift early are reporting significant gains, making a strong business case for investing in technology adoption.
how Infosys BPM can help
Infosys BPM’ssourcing and procurement services leverage AI to design tailored solutions that deliver measurable, enterprise-wide value. Our proprietary AI platform powers automation, advanced analytics, intelligent reporting, and smarter spend management, helping enterprises unlock efficiencies across the entire procurement value chain. Spanning the complete gamut of procurement activities, our Diamond Framework for Procurement delivers holistic transformational outcomes.
