Rockwell Automation released its 10th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report, showing that 95% of manufacturers have invested in or plan to invest in artificial intelligence and machine learning over the next five years.
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The global survey of over 1,500 manufacturers across 17 countries was conducted in March 2025.
“As this year’s report shows, manufacturers around the world are using smart manufacturing to navigate disruption and create new opportunities for speed and agility,” said Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation. “At Rockwell, we believe innovation and resilience go hand in hand. With the right technology and right people, we can simplify complexity and lead with confidence during times of dynamic change.”
According to the report:
81% of manufacturers say external and internal pressures are accelerating digital transformation.
Cloud/SaaS, AI, cybersecurity, and quality management rank as top areas of investment.
Organizations investing in generative and causal AI increased 12% year-over-year.
Cybersecurity ranks as the second biggest external risk, with 49% of manufacturers planning to use AI for cybersecurity in 2025, up from 40% in 2024.
48% of manufacturers plan to repurpose or hire additional workers due to smart manufacturing investments.
41% use AI and automation to help close the skills gap and address labor shortages.
Quality control remains the top AI use case for the second year in a row, with 50% planning to apply AI/ML to support product quality in 2025.
The report also shows that manufacturers are using smart technologies to strengthen supply chains, drive sustainability, and speed up decision-making.
Still, challenges remain. Nearly half of respondents say the ability to apply AI is now an “extremely important” skill, up from just 10% last year.
