The technology that has most lowered inventory costs in industry is just-in-time manufacturing.
The reasons are:
1) Just-in-time manufacturing is a production strategy that focuses on reducing in-process inventory and its associated costs. Companies aim to have inventory arrive from suppliers just when it is needed in the production process, and products leave production just in time to be shipped to customers.
2) This minimizes the amount of time components and materials spend in inventory, which significantly lowers inventory holding costs. Companies no longer have to store and manage large volumes of raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods.
3) Technologies like automation, AI and ERP systems help enable just-in-time production by providing real-time data and visibility into supply chains, production schedules and customer demand. This facilitates the precise coordination needed for just-in-time inventory management.
4) In contrast, while technologies like tablet computers, robotics and satellite communications have benefits in industry, they have not specifically targeted reducing inventory costs in the same systemic way that just-in-time manufacturing aims to do.
So in summary, just-in-time manufacturing - which focuses on producing and procuring components only when they are needed - has been the technology that has most significantly lowered inventory costs for manufacturers by minimizing the volumes, time and costs associated with holding inventory.