A new global study, the 2026 State of Smart Manufacturing report, finds that 90% of manufacturers now view digital transformation as essential. Companies are moving beyond pilots to scale AI and other smart technologies, strengthening operations and focusing on measurable, ROI-driven outcomes across production.
Where is your organization prioritizing its next step—scaling AI, upgrading core operations, or improving how you measure outcomes?
2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report shows manufacturers scaling AI, strengthening operations and focusing on measurable outcomes
“Measurable outcomes” hinge on data quality and closed loops: how many in the study did basic MSA and then tied model alerts to actual changes in work instructions and process parameters? In aerospace we only moved the needle when spindle vibration features drove tool change decisions, reducing chatter that degraded surface finish and downstream fatigue margins.