Enabling Strategic Procurement with AI, From Frustration to Foresight - with Rob DeSantis of Arkestro

When finance leaders push for measurable savings and supply chain leaders prioritize continuity and resilience, technology adoption often gets caught in the middle. Procurement teams, operating with risk-averse cultures and outdated tools, face growing complexity while pressure mounts from both sides of the business. In this episode of the AI in Business podcast, Rob DeSantis — CEO and Co-founder of Arkestro, Co-founder of Ariba, and early LinkedIn executive — explains to Emerj CEO and Head of Research Daniel Faggella why AI represents more than incremental change for procurement. Instead of simply digitizing old workflows, AI enables re-imagined processes that deliver step-function value, often translating into 20 to 30 percent savings directly impacting earnings per share. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! If you’ve enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show! This episode is sponsored by Arkestro. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.