Decoding Unilever’s AI Advantage

When it comes to tech innovation, one topic has dominated the first half of 2025: the meteoric rise of AI agents. And at Unilever, this tech isn’t just “coming soon” – it’s already here. This week, Willem Uijen (Chief Supply Chain and Operations Officer, Unilever) and Lauren Acoba (VP, Research, Zero100) discuss how the company is leveraging agents, as well as its broader AI strategy.

• Looking back at the evolution of AI, from Deep Blue to autonomous agents (1:17) 
• Unilever’s approach to AI implementation and ROI (03:29) 
• The key drivers for agentic success: upskilling and guardrails (05:50)
• Where agentic AI is delivering value within operations at Unilever (09:30)
• “Choose the race that you want to run”: An investment litmus test for CSCOs and COOs (11:21) 
• Tackling governance and data quality infrastructure (14:46) 
• How Unilever is modernizing and standardizing its digital core (16:47)
• The decision Willem would never let AI make – and the one he happily would (18:50)