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Building an AI Infrastructure: A Top Priority for Consumer Goods Companies

The recent industry report titled "The State of AI in Consumer Goods" has brought attention to the urgent need for consumer goods companies (CPG) to develop an AI-ready infrastructure. This represents a crucial step for the sector, as a staggering 82% of respondents indicated they are currently working on consolidating legacy systems or migrating from best-of-breed solutions to unified platforms. This transition is essential for ensuring seamless interoperability across systems, which is vital for implementing various AI applications effectively.

The Move Towards Agent-Based AI

In alignment with this shift, about 72% of CPG firms are employing, preparing for, or planning to introduce agent-based AI to enhance their manufacturing processes. This strategic move highlights the industry’s growing requirement for advanced systems and processes that can deliver clean, standardized data. The study identifies key barriers that still impede the adoption of AI:

1. Compliance and Security Issues (60%)
2. High Costs and Resource Constraints (60%)
3. Complex Integration into Existing Systems (58%)

These challenges create a daunting landscape for many companies trying to harness the potential of AI and machine learning technologies.

Widespread Manual Processes

Interestingly, the findings reveal that a significant majority (64%) of CPG companies still rely primarily on a mix of digital and manual processes or, in many cases, predominantly manual processes with limited tools to manage quality and compliance along the supply chain. Respondents noted that advanced data integration and process automation capabilities are particularly valuable in boosting IT efficiency, suggesting that easing repetitive tasks and manual labor can clear data silos.

The Demand for Predictive Analytics

Moreover, CPG companies increasingly see the value in AI-driven predictive analytics. The principal reasons for considering this function invaluable include:

- Enhancing quality assurance and compliance (24%)
- Improving decision-making and data-driven insights (21%)
- Proactively identifying and preventing issues (19%)

This strong emphasis on real-time insights for quality control underscores the need for technology partners who possess a deep understanding of manufacturing and compliance requirements.

Balancing People, Processes, and Data

The survey further emphasizes that a successful implementation of AI necessitates a balanced approach involving people, processes, and data. Noteworthy determinants for success include:

- Comprehensive employee training programs (72%)
- A high-quality data infrastructure (66%)
- Considerations for AI cybersecurity and compliance (64%)

These elements suggest that achieving success in AI implementation requires an orchestrated organizational readiness.

"The findings from the State of AI in Consumer Goods report illustrate that quality management across diverse legacy systems hinders AI readiness. To effectively leverage AI, companies are considering building a robust data foundation on a unified platform capable of delivering clear value," commented David Maher, Strategy Head at Veeva QualityOne.

The report involved feedback from over 150 IT and functional leaders in global consumer goods enterprises across the United States. The research scrutinizes the industry's readiness for AI, the challenges in its deployment, and the opportunities for IT to drive value and innovation. For further insights, please refer to the full report.

About Veeva QualityOne

Veeva Systems, established in 2007, is a global provider of cloud software solutions tailored to the specific operational challenges and regulatory requirements of companies in the life sciences, consumer goods, food and beverage, and chemical sectors. Veeva QualityOne solutions assist hundreds of leading companies in eliminating inefficiencies and bringing premium, trustworthy products to market faster, all while upholding safety and compliance standards. As a socially responsible organization, Veeva is committed to aligning the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders, and the industries it serves. Learn more at Veeva QualityOne.

To gain further insights into Veeva's solutions for the global life sciences sector and its over 1,500 customers—including some of the largest pharmaceutical companies and emerging biotech firms—visit veeva.com/eu.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Veeva’s products and services as well as the expected outcomes or benefits from their use. These statements are based on current expectations, and actual outcomes may significantly differ from those indicated. Veeva does not undertake any obligation to update such statements. Numerous risks may adversely affect the results, including those detailed in our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2025, which can be found here.