3.3 Cognitive networks: orchestrating value chains with AI Lighthouses are redefining global value chains by embedding AI across every layer of operations, evolving from digitally native to AI-native organizations that form cognitive networks. This shift enables seamless collaboration between humans, AI agents and robots, fostering new levels of operational performance. From zero to one: stand up the first supply chain “brain” In the progression from cognitive factories to cognitive networks, the first challenge is building the initial “brain” – a core intelligence layer to which future sites and ecosystem partners can connect. This foundation unlocks future agentic ecosystems capable of cross-site visibility and coordinated decision-making. As task-orientated agents proliferate, value increasingly comes from “orchestrator agents” that reason, decide and act autonomously (Figure 26). Isolated task agents alone rarely create value. The aim is to reconfigure the supply chain network to make data-driven, real-time decisions through aligned people, processes and technology. Lighthouses develop orchestrator agents that coordinate goal- and task-specific agents, integrated with existing technology stacks (e.g. AI models, robotic process automation or RPA, query systems), balancing competing priorities and executing complex, sector-specific operational constraints with greater speed and consistency than manual teams. Each orchestrator must be tailored to the customer context, drawing on deep knowledge of trade-offs and business priorities to deliver lasting impact. That is why Lighthouses start with one or two agent ecosystems, proving value before scaling-up across domains. Global Lighthouse Network: Rewiring Operations for Resilience and Impact at Scale 39

Global Lighthouse Network 2026