Can AI truly revolutionise manufacturing efficiency?
Riverbed’s survey highlights AI’s impact on manufacturing, revealing benefits in efficiency, automation, and data-driven decision-making. The study by Riverbed, a leader in AIOps for Observability, unveils the Manufacturing sector findings from its Global AI & Digital Experience Survey. The research shows strong enthusiasm for AI, with 92% of surveyed manufacturing executives identifying AI as a top C-Suite priority and agreeing it offers a competitive edge. However, only 32% of manufacturers are currently fully prepared to implement AI projects—5% below the overall industry average. Challenges such as data quality and scalability are key hurdles preventing manufacturers from unlocking AI’s full potential.
Benefits of AI in Manufacturing
As AI evolves, the manufacturing industry is poised to benefit from improved efficiency, enhanced product quality, optimized inventory management, and more data-driven decision-making, all of which contribute to a superior customer experience. The next three years are expected to bring rapid AI expansion as businesses seek practical AI solutions. By 2027, 83% of manufacturing leaders anticipate being fully prepared for AI implementation. AI’s role is also expected to shift significantly, from primarily driving operational efficiencies (58% today) to becoming a key growth driver (65%) by 2027. This shift represents one of the most notable transformations across all industries in the study.
AI Leadership in Manufacturing
Millennials and Gen Z are viewed as AI leaders in the manufacturing sector. Enthusiasm for AI spans across the C-Suite, younger employees, and organizations as a whole. Most manufacturers have moved beyond the experimental phase, with 56% accelerating AI initiatives by investing in infrastructure and talent. Meanwhile, 29% have reached the transformative stage, where AI is fully integrated into operations.
AI Automation in Manufacturing
Manufacturing leaders foresee AI delivering significant benefits, with 89% recognizing AI automation as key to improving IT efficiency and digital experiences. Over the next three years, AI will be used in IT operations to streamline workflows and enhance productivity.
Challenges in Maximizing AI Benefits
Despite strong AI adoption momentum, the study identified three critical challenges preventing manufacturers from maximizing AI’s benefits. These challenges include addressing AI-related security and confidentiality risks. With 92% of manufacturing leaders concerned that AI could expose proprietary data in the public domain, data security remains a significant issue. The industry’s reliance on legacy systems makes it vulnerable to breaches, reinforcing the need for robust cybersecurity strategies.
Salman Ali, senior manager – Solution Engineering, GCC, at Riverbed, emphasized, “AI is transforming the manufacturing industry, offering significant benefits in terms of operational efficiencies, reducing costs, and the ability to innovate at a faster pace to maintain a competitive edge. However, for manufacturers to deliver substantial performance improvements and improve their AIOps initiatives, they must focus on the quality of their data. Our recent study reveals that 42% of manufacturing leaders are concerned about the effectiveness of their organization’s data for AI purposes. At Riverbed, we’re helping customers in this industry overcome this data challenge with our open, AI-powered observability platform, which provides practical AI that works and scales, enabling organizations to automate and drive efficiencies across their IT operations and achieve significant ROI from their IT investments and AIOps efforts.”
