Two-Thirds of Industrial Firms Deploy AI in Live Operations, but Infrastructure Gaps Threaten Scale
Event summary
- 61% of industrial organizations now use AI in live operations, with 20% reporting mature deployments.
- Network readiness and cybersecurity are the top barriers to scaling AI, with 98% citing security as foundational.
- 57% of firms report IT/OT collaboration, but 47% of those with limited collaboration cite network instability as a key challenge.
- 83% of organizations plan to increase AI spending, with 87% expecting meaningful outcomes within two years.
The big picture
Industrial AI is shifting from experimentation to real-world deployment, but firms are struggling with infrastructure gaps. Strong IT/OT collaboration and robust cybersecurity frameworks are emerging as critical differentiators for scaling AI across manufacturing, transportation, and utilities. The report underscores that success now depends on foundational readiness, not just AI model development.
What we're watching
- Infrastructure Readiness
- How industrial firms will address network reliability and edge computing demands as AI workloads grow.
- Cybersecurity Integration
- Whether AI-driven security solutions can mitigate risks while enabling faster adoption.
- IT/OT Collaboration
- The pace at which organizations bridge operational silos to support scalable AI deployments.
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