In 2026, procurement has hit a tipping point. Workloads have surged while headcount has decreased for the first time in decades, and the pressure to modernize is landing squarely at the intersection of procurement and IT. With ERP modernization underway and AI pressure mounting, IT needs a way to innovate without ripping and replacing architecture, adding complexity, or stretching budget.

According to Zip's State of Spend report, procurement and IT are becoming the backbone of AI adoption. Getting there isn't a procurement project or an IT project. It's both, working as one.

In conversation with Julian Wood, IT Lead at SafetyCulture, we'll dive into the trends shaping the future-state operating model and what it will take for IT and procurement to build this AI-enabled future together.