TECH & AI
out generic horizontal AI tools, the WEF says lighthouses are focussed on vertical applications. Analytical AI and machine learning cover the majority of use cases and generative AI has grown to cover 23 %.
Adoption of these technologies does not, however, guarantee impact. Well-defined transformation roadmaps, agile teams and global ecosystem partnerships are some of the factors the WEF says help to scale AI and technologies beyond a single factory to reach the advantages of scale.
Manufacturing leaders’ plans Deloitte’ s 2026 Manufacturing Industry Outlook says that the industry as a whole is moving from experimental AI pilots to at-scale implementation. Success, it says, depends on balancing aggressive technology investment with highly adaptive workforce strategy.
The top concern for more than a third of manufacturing executives in a 2025 Deloitte survey was“ equipping workers with the skills and knowledge they need to maximise the potential of smart manufacturing and operations”. If the trend toward reshoring accelerates, Deloitte says that the supply of skilled workers could become more strained.
A survey of 600 manufacturing executives found that 80 % plan to invest 20 % or more of their improvement budgets in smart manufacturing initiatives. These investments will focus on foundational tools and technologies including automation hardware, data analytics, sensors and cloud computing.
84 March 2026