Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US

Take your supply chain game to the next level with GS1 US! Join our favorite supply chain experts, Reid and Liz, as they share secrets, stories, insights, and expertise on a broad spectrum of hot-button topics – from barcodes to artificial intelligence, and everything in between. Our hosts will answer questions like: What's next in supply chain automation and innovation? Will the next generation of 2D barcodes revolutionize commerce and machine learning? How does the simple concept of scanning at checkout contribute to the next level of transparency for consumers? How will intelligent automation – like, robots serving us cocktails for example - compete with our human intelligence? Take a deep dive with us in exploring these and other mind-bending topics about how the unique identification of everything makes anything possible.

Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US is a business podcast hosted by GS1 US, with 100 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

GS1 US hosts Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US, a business show with 100 episodes published.

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  Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US

  Who's Doing Your Shopping? The Rise of AI Agents

  Sep 30, 202627 min

  Agentic commerce is changing not only where consumers shop, but who may be doing the shopping for them. As AI agents take on more of the discovery, comparison, and purchasing process, brands and retailers need to rethink how products are found and understood by both people and machines. In this episode, Liz Sertl chats with Kristen Rodgers , Director of Brand, Retail, Marketing and Advertising, and Sports Tech at Plug and Play . Kristen explains what agentic commerce means, how shopping has progressed from e-commerce to mobile commerce, social commerce, and now AI-assisted purchasing, and why consumers may be more willing to hand routine purchases over to an agent than emotional purchases that require more consideration. She also explains why brands need machine-readable product information as more consumers use tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini for product discovery. The conversation also covers the shift from search engine optimization to generative engine optimization, or GEO, and how longer, more contextual AI prompts give brands new information about what consumers want. Kristen shares how AI storefronts could change product search on brand and retailer websites, why businesses still want to own the purchase and post-purchase experience, and how sports organizations are using technology to support the fan journey before, during, and after an event. She also discusses digital twins and synthetic data as tools for testing how audience segments may respond to marketing, product, and business decisions, along with the AI tools she uses in her own work. In this episode, you'll learn: How agentic commerce shifts shopping from consumers searching for products themselves to AI agents helping discover, compare, and potentially purchase products on their behalf Why machine-readable product data and generative engine optimization are becoming more relevant as shoppers use AI tools for product discovery and recommendations How AI storefronts, digital twins, and synthetic data can help brands, retailers, and sports organizations better understand customer and fan needs and create more relevant experiences Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (00:53) Kristen's background and her role at Plug and Play (03:09) How sports tech connects player performance, fan experiences, and stadium technology (04:12) How commerce moved from e-commerce to mobile, social, and agentic commerce (05:45) What agentic commerce is and how AI agents can shop on a consumer's behalf (07:29) The difference between functional and emotional purchases (09:20) Why brands and retailers need machine-readable product information (10:00) The shift from SEO to generative engine optimization (11:58) How AI storefronts could change product search and discovery (16:23) How sports organizations are thinking about the full fan journey (18:52) How digital twins and synthetic data can support audience research and decision-making (21:19) Consumer expectations around data and relevant experiences (22:32) Kristen's favorite technology (24:20) Why Kristen wants to learn more about vibe coding and building her own AI agent Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.org GS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guest: Kristen Rodgers on LinkedIn Visit Plug and Play at https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/

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  Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US

  From RFID to Physical AI: Giving Everyday Assets a Digital Identity

  Aug 26, 202634 min

  Where did an item go, what happened to it along the way, and is it still in the condition a customer expects? In this episode, Reid Jackson chats with Amir Khoshniyati , Vice President at Wiliot . Amir explains how Wiliot describes physical AI for everyday assets: battery-free tags can give products and containers a digital identity, while Bluetooth Low Energy connections capture signals such as location, motion, temperature, humidity, and light exposure. That information can help teams see what happens between facilities where traditional tracking can lose sight of an item. The discussion also covers how physical AI can work alongside RFID, barcodes, QR codes, existing readers, ERP systems, and warehouse management systems rather than forcing companies to replace prior technology investments. Amir shares five core use cases—departure, receipt, condition, location and cycle count, plus visibility into reusable transport containers, and explains why food, grocery, CPG, automotive, logistics, healthcare, and 3PL operations are strong candidates for this approach. Looking ahead, Amir sees lower tag costs, broader deployments, and assets that may one day communicate with one another. For supply chain teams, the bigger idea is simple: better item-level data can support earlier decisions when products are delayed, misplaced, exposed to the wrong conditions, or headed to the wrong destination. In this episode, you'll learn: How physical AI can track an item's location and condition across the supply chain Why lower tag costs could expand item-level visibility across more industries How condition history can add context that inventory data alone may miss Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (03:23) Wiliot's physical AI platform for everyday assets (05:00) From IoT and ambient IoT to physical AI (09:01) Filling supply chain data blind spots (10:17) Brownout spots between facilities and in transit (12:26) Five core use cases for item and container visibility (14:48) Where Wiliot sees adoption across industries (18:05) How physical AI can coexist with RFID, barcodes and QR codes (22:10) Interoperability, standards and building on existing investments (25:01) What supply chains could look like over the next five years (29:52) Condition-aware perishables and product safety questions (31:54) Amir's favorite technology (32:41) What Amir wants to learn next Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.org GS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guest: Amir Khoshniyati on LinkedIn Visit Wiliot at https://www.wiliot.com/

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  Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US

  From 10 Digits to 12: Inside the FDA's New NDC Format

  Aug 12, 202629 min

  The National Drug Code (NDC) is a critical identifier used throughout the healthcare supply chain, supporting product identification across manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies, providers, payers, and data systems. In this episode, Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl chat with Ullrich Mayeski , Community Engagement Director - Healthcare at GS1 US . He explains the FDA's transition from the current 10-digit NDC format to a 12-digit format planned for 2033. Ullrich discusses why the change is happening, how the update will affect healthcare organizations, and why businesses should begin reviewing the systems, processes, and trading partner connections that rely on NDC data. The conversation explores the move toward a consistent NDC structure, the role of 2D barcodes, and how better product identification can support traceability, data exchange, and patient safety throughout the healthcare supply chain. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the NDC transition from 10 digits to 12 digits is reshaping healthcare product identification The biggest challenges manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies, and providers face as they prepare for the 2033 change How standardized data and 2D barcodes can improve product information, traceability, and supply chain communication Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (02:11) Ullrich's role supporting healthcare organizations at GS1 US (03:54) Why the National Drug Code is a critical healthcare identifier (06:24) Why the NDC format is changing from 10 digits to 12 digits (08:23) How the new format supports greater consistency across systems (10:49) Why the transition affects more than pharmaceutical manufacturers (13:32) The systems and processes organizations need to evaluate (17:27) How over-the-counter products are also affected (19:19) Why organizations should begin preparing now (23:36) How the NDC transition connects to traceability and 2D barcode adoption (26:21) How better data capture can support patient safety Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.org GS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guest: Ullrich Mayeski on LinkedIn

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  Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US

  Building Food Traceability for FSMA 204 Compliance

  Jul 29, 202627 min

  Behind every piece of fresh produce is a complex supply chain working to ensure food reaches store shelves safely, and new traceability requirements are changing how that work gets done. In this episode, Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl chat with Christina Herrick , Produce Editor at The Packer , to discuss the realities of food traceability, the impact of FSMA 204 on the fresh produce industry, and why compliance requires far more than simply meeting a deadline. Christina shares why produce presents unique traceability challenges compared to other food categories, how labor shortages, evolving regulations, and fragmented supply chains complicate implementation, and why organizations of every size need to begin preparing now. She also explains why successful traceability depends on better collaboration, standardized data sharing, and understanding the unique needs of every participant across the supply chain. This is more than a regulatory requirement. It is an industry-wide effort to improve food safety, strengthen consumer confidence, and build more connected supply chains that can respond quickly when it matters most. In this episode, you'll learn: Why FSMA 204 is transforming food traceability across the fresh produce industry The biggest challenges growers, distributors, and retailers face as they prepare for compliance How standardized data sharing can improve food safety, recalls, and supply chain visibility Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (03:06) Why consumers rarely see the complexity behind food safety (05:00) How produce traceability differs from other food categories (08:35) Why traceability matters during recalls and outbreaks (10:01) Why compliance is not a light switch (11:07) How labor costs and regulations affect traceability investments (15:16) Why many companies don't know where to begin (17:00) The unique challenges facing smaller growers and distributors (20:18) Why every produce operation approaches traceability differently (22:18) Finding the right motivation for industry adoption (23:17) Why GS1 standards help simplify data sharing (24:35) Christina's favorite technology and what she wants to learn next Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.org GS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guest: Christina Herricks on LinkedIn Visit The Packer at https://www.thepacker.com/

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  Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US

  Supply Chain 2050: AI, Robotics, and Trust in the Physical World

  Jul 15, 202643 min

  Supply chain transformation is no longer just about efficiency. It is about resilience, intelligence, and trust across every layer of the system. In this episode, Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl were at GS1 Connect. Melanie Hilto n sat down with Miguel Rodriguez Garcia from MIT , Frederik Bohn from Plug and Play Tech Center , and Lisa Morales-Hellebo from REFASHIOND Ventures to explore what supply chains could look like in 2050 and the challenges that must be solved today to get there. The conversation spans cybersecurity risks that now extend into physical operations, the rise of robotics in logistics, and the growing need for verified, trustworthy data across global networks. The guests also explore how interoperability gaps inside large enterprises slow progress, why collaboration remains one of the biggest barriers across industries, and how emerging approaches like AI agents and materials verification could reshape decision making. Together, they highlight that the future supply chain will depend on aligning technology, standards, and human behavior in ways that are still being defined. This is more than a discussion about emerging technology. It is an exploration of how supply chains must evolve into connected, transparent, and adaptive systems where data integrity, automation, and cross-industry collaboration determine long term success. In this episode, you'll learn: How cybersecurity is evolving from a digital risk into a physical supply chain challenge How robotics and automation are already reshaping warehouse and logistics operations Why data trust and verification are becoming essential for future supply chain systems Things to listen for: (00:00) Opening remarks from Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl introducing the GS1 Connect session (01:26) Framing the 2050 supply chain discussion and key themes (07:40) Cybersecurity threats expanding into physical supply chain operations (11:00) Robotics moving from experimental to real warehouse deployment (15:00) Trust and verification of physical materials through data and scanning (19:30) Collaboration challenges across industries and supplier ecosystems (23:10) Interoperability gaps inside large enterprise systems (26:00) AI agents, hallucinations, and the importance of data quality (30:46) Real world visibility innovations using highway camera data networks (32:38) The future vision of standardized machine communication and interoperability Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.org GS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the speakers: Melanie Hilton on LinkedIn Miguel Rodriguez Garcia on LinkedIn Massachusetts Institute of Technology at https://web.mit.edu/ Lisa Morales-Hellebo on LinkedIn REFASHIOND Ventures at https://www.refashiond.com/ Frederik Bohn on LinkedIn Plug and Play Tech Center. at https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/

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