Winter 2025-2026

Journal of Business Forecasting Volume 44 | Issue 4 | Winter 2025-2026

The lead article of this special issue details how AI is more about the 'plumbing' of planning processes rather than the technology itself, and how the real value of AI is in how it reshapes how organizations think, talk, and decide about the future. It also reveals how to take your very first steps in AI, with practical tips from practitioners who are embracing this technological evolution, including how to use LLMs like ChatGPT to automate parts of the forecasting process and how to 'vibe code' with LLMs for non-technical planning professionals.

Featured Articles:

• First Steps in AI for Demand Planning: What No One Tells You

  By Hariharan Ganesan

• Effective Use Cases of Agentic AI in Demand Forecasting Operations

  By Yudai Yamaguchi

• Interview with an AI Expert: Sahil Yadav

  By Sahil Yadav

• AI Optimization for Food Products— Old Models, New Tech

  By Larry Lapide

• Forecasts, Fries & First Steps: Your AI Journey in Demand Planning

  By

  • A.P. Lewis
  • Ray Hsu
• Driving Demand Planning Efficiency With Microsoft Copilot

  By Jon Nichols

• Building AI-Readiness the Right Way

  By Parth Dave

• Vibe Coding with LLMs for Supply Chain Planning Automation

  By Francesco Calore

• Federal Reserve Takes Action as Uncertainty Continues to Constrain U.S. Economic Growth

  By Nur M. Onvural