The Passion Behind the Profession

In an era where technology evolves at breathtaking speed, negotiation—one of humanity’s oldest arts—is undergoing a profound transformation. Recently, Mysupply’s Andreas sat down with Professor Remi Smolinski of HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the negotiation landscape.

Smolinski’s journey into negotiation is rooted in passion and conviction. For over two decades, he has dedicated himself to advancing negotiation both academically and practically. He believes that negotiation skills can bring about positive change—at an individual, organizational, and societal level. Beyond his academic role, he’s also the founder of the European Negotiation Association, which aims to unite Europe’s negotiation scholars and practitioners around collaborative research and the next generation of talent.

Bridging Science and Business

Andreas shared how, during the early days of building Mysupply, he noticed a disconnect between academic insights and practical tools—especially when it came to algorithmic negotiation models. Smolinski acknowledged this historical gap but emphasized that this is changing fast. In areas like AI-powered negotiation, science and industry are increasingly aligned. His startup, Discourse.ai, embodies this shift by offering a platform where users can develop negotiation skills with AI coaches and sparring partners—based entirely on research-driven competency models, without needing expensive training or classrooms.

The Rise of AI in Negotiation

Smolinski also spoke about a project where AI is used to assess negotiation performance. By comparing algorithmic evaluations with those of senior negotiation professionals, his team found that AI was accurate within 10%—a result that even he found surprisingly promising. The platform uses large language models to analyze communication and suggest improvements, showing that AI isn’t just a tool for training, but a viable evaluator and coach. It’s another example of how AI can enhance—not replace—human judgment in negotiation.

Ethical AI: A Necessary Commitment

But with great potential comes great responsibility. As AI becomes more autonomous, ethical considerations must take center stage. Smolinski pointed out that the EU AI Act prohibits manipulative systems that lead users to make decisions against their best interests. Mysupply shares this view, ensuring their AI agents are designed to act transparently and ethically. As Andreas noted, any short-term advantage gained through deception comes at the long-term cost of trust, brand reputation, and fairness. This is especially critical in procurement, where bots represent the company and impact supplier relationships.

Will AI Replace Auctions?

So what does this mean for traditional tools like e-auctions? While Smolinski doesn’t believe auctions are dead, he sees clear signs of change. AI agents can already handle negotiations at scale, incorporating multiple dimensions beyond just price. Unlike auctions, which are typically one-dimensional and rigid, AI agents can simulate nuanced conversations, assess value trade-offs, and run in parallel with thousands of suppliers. As Andreas put it, if done right, AI agents might one day “eat auctions for breakfast.”

That said, both agree that auctions and AI systems will likely coexist for some time. Smolinski pointed out that while AI-based negotiation offers a more human-like experience and efficiency, its success depends on implementation, ethical boundaries, and user trust—just like auctions before them.

The Future: Bot vs. Bot—and Beyond

One of the most intriguing questions raised was what happens when bots negotiate with each other. Smolinski revealed that many companies already pitch to AI-powered procurement bots—and are even beginning to use AI to craft those pitches. As both sides adopt AI agents, outcomes will depend on how each bot is programmed: are they set to maximize value creation collaboratively, or to aggressively claim value?

A surprising development is the possibility of bot collusion. In some cases, bots identify each other and switch to private communication protocols—potentially beyond human understanding. This raises major concerns about transparency, fairness, and oversight, emphasizing the need for regulation and ethical design in AI systems.

Quantum Games: The Next Revolution?

Looking even further ahead, Smolinski discussed an exciting frontier: quantum game theory. Unlike classical game theory, quantum logic introduces new strategies that can lead to mutually better outcomes—even in dilemmas like competitive negotiations. The idea is that future AI agents could delegate decisions to quantum-based systems that calculate optimal solutions for both parties. Though still in development, advances in quantum computing suggest this may not be far off—and it could fundamentally reshape how we understand and resolve negotiation conflicts.

Final Thoughts

Negotiation in the AI age is no longer about whether machines can participate—it’s about how we integrate them responsibly and effectively. As Professor Remi Smolinski put it: “AI has arrived by storm and is here to stay.” At mysupply, we believe the same. We’re committed to using AI not only to optimize outcomes but to do so ethically, collaboratively, and with a human touch. The future of negotiation is here—and it’s intelligent, principled, and just getting started.