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Procurement is at an inflection point
The sixth edition of PwC's Global Digital Procurement Survey shows that organisations recognise the value of digital tools, but most are still at an early stage in turning investment into measurable outcomes. The findings point to a clear opportunity: align technology, operating models, and people around the business outcomes procurement needs to deliver.
Efficiency remains the priority
Financial performance (59%) and digital transformation (49%) lead procurement's strategic agenda. Efficiency and simplicity are the main drivers of transformation for 74% of respondents, reflecting a continued focus on reducing manual effort, accelerating cycle times, and streamlining transactional processes. Procurement savings (46%) also remain central as organisations face continued inflationary and geopolitical pressure.
AI ambition is running ahead of adoption
AI appears as a standalone strategic priority for the first time in the 2026 survey, ranking fourth at 27%. Looking ahead, 47% of respondents identify embedding AI as their main digital procurement investment priority for the next three years.
Adoption, however, remains limited. Across the five AI use cases covered by the survey, 54% to 70% of organisations have not started their AI journey. Only 6% to 9% say AI is delivering tangible value today. The market remains in an investment and experimentation phase, particularly in spend analytics, supplier risk scoring, and contract intelligence. Organisations now need to close the gap between ambition and execution by focusing on trusted data, clear use cases, and measurable outcomes.
Digital maturity remains modest
Current digital maturity stands at 30% for source-to-contract, 28% for supplier management, and 41% for procure-to-pay. Many organisations have introduced point solutions or pilots, but few have embedded digital tools across procurement workflows from end-to-end.
Targets for the next three years are ambitious: 66% maturity for source-to-contract, 65% for supplier management, and 71% for procure-to-pay. Supplier management has the largest planned increase at 37%, highlighting the importance of supplier data, risk monitoring, and relationship management.
Transformation depends on people
The findings reinforce that digital procurement transformation is a business and people challenge, not simply a technology programme. Cross-business engagement with legal, finance, and technology teams is the leading success factor at 56%. Clear requirements and functional processes follow at 52%, while post-go-live change management ranks at 39% and sits ahead of every technical factor.
Additional findings
Sustainability/corporate social responsibility has declined as a standalone priority, from 35% in 2024 to 20% in 2026. Around 8% of organisations have full-ecosystem supplier collaboration platforms, while 35% recognise the opportunity but lack suitable solutions. Although procurement savings are the second-highest driver of change, only 36% say current digital tools deliver them.
Key actions businesses can take today
1. Prioritise the operating model before the technology
Forty-nine per cent of respondents identify operating model transformation as their leading area for external support. Map processes, decision rights, and governance before selecting platforms. Technology should enable a redesigned operating model, not reinforce outdated processes.
2. Start your AI journey with focused, measurable use cases
Data analytics and process efficiency are the most advanced AI use cases, with 38% and 33% of respondents respectively exploring or piloting them. Begin with use cases such as spend classification, demand forecasting, or invoice processing, where data is available and outcomes can be measured.
3. Accelerate supplier management digitisation
Supplier management has the lowest current maturity at 28%, but the largest planned increase over three years. Strengthen supplier data, risk monitoring, and performance management to build the foundation for better decisions and more effective collaboration.
4. Build change capability from the outset
Treat adoption as a core part of the programme. Engage legal, finance, and technology teams early, define requirements clearly, and maintain communication and training after go-live. This helps digital tools become part of everyday procurement rather than isolated technical deployments.
About this survey
PwC's Global Digital Procurement Survey is now in its sixth edition. Conducted with the global PwC network, it captures the views of procurement leaders and practitioners across industries and geographies, including Europe, Asia and Oceania, the Americas, and Africa. Respondents represent organisations of different sizes, from small enterprises to businesses with revenues exceeding $10 billion. The survey examines strategic priorities, digital maturity, AI adoption, investment, and the factors that support successful procurement transformation and long-term value.
We're here to help
Digital procurement creates value when technology, operating models, and people move together. We can help you assess procurement maturity, prioritise practical use cases, and develop a roadmap focused on measurable outcomes. Contact our team to discuss the survey findings and what they could mean for your organisation.
PwC Digital Procurement Survey 2026
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