Unveiling the Role of Artificial Intelligence and Opportunities on Humanitarian Supply Chain: A Multi-Objective Intuitionistic Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping Approach

Abstract

Humanitarian supply chains (HSC) face numerous challenges, including uncertainty, high dynamism, and resource constraints.  With the ongoing development of the industry 4.0 and the increasing prevalence of its applications, particularly the emergence and influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it appears that if the benefits of this technology align with supply chain (SC) processes while overcoming challenges in this area, AI technologies could serve as transformative solutions to enhance the performance of SCs. This study investigates the impact of Artificial Intelligence Facilitators (AIFs) on the performance metrics of the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model in HSCs. First, a literature review is conducted to identify and extract AIFs, leading to the final selection. Then, based on expert opinions, the SCOR model is applied, focusing on AIFs to determine causal relationships between facilitators, the impact of AI on HSC processes, and SC performance attributes. In the next step, Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) are employed to model the causal relationships between these facilitators and the performance indicators. At the same time, Hebbian learning is used for sensitivity analysis to identify system responses under varying conditions. The results reveal that key facilitators such as predictive analytics, logistics optimization, and drones significantly improve metrics like reliability, agility, cost efficiency, and aid management effectiveness. Sensitivity analysis highlights the significance of ongoing oversight and AI-powered system's adaptation to align with dynamic environmental changes. It also provides practical insights for humanitarian organizations, policymakers, and technology developers by offering a roadmap for AI adoption and resource optimization.

Keywords: Humanitarian Supply Chain, Artificial Intelligence, Supply Chain Operations Reference Model, Facilitator, Multi-objective Intuitionistic Fuzzy Cognitive Map