Industrial Automation Magazine India

Global research highlights how artificial intelligence is being deployed to give the workforce superpowers and build resiliency in operations.

Dubai, UAE, March 26, 2024 – Rockwell Automation, Inc., the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, has announced the results of the 9th annual study, "The State of Smart Manufacturing", offering valuable insights into trends, challenges, and plans for global manufacturers. The international study surveyed more than 1,550 respondents from 17 countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Three clear messages emerge from this report for companies in KSA and UAE: the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution is here for manufacturing, technology is being deployed to give the workforce superpowers, and companies face challenges in implementing new technology.

"In the region, the AI revolution is unmistakably underway," said Ediz Eren, regional vice president, Middle East, Türkiye and Africa, Rockwell Automation. "Our survey reveals that 87% of companies have either invested or plan to invest in artificial intelligence and machine learning within the next year, with generative AI leading the charge at 86%. The impact of AI is profound, with applications ranging from quality control to cybersecurity, robotics, and supply chain management.

"As businesses navigate this transformative landscape, driven by the ambitious targets set by their respective governments, addressing the skills gap emerges as a key challenge, with 46% citing a lack of skilled workers, compared with 30% in the US. To bridge this gap, 45% are turning to automation while also focusing on organisational change management to overcome technology paralysis and drive sustainable growth."

Other significant trends in KSA and UAE:

·Growing into new markets and international expansion is the top business outcome that companies in KSA and UAE are looking to achieve with smart manufacturing technologies (41%), significantly higher than the global average of 33%.

·Companies in KSA and UAE consider climate change to be the single biggest obstacle to growth next year (37%), significantly higher than 24% in the US and 20% in Europe.

·Supply chain planning (17%) had the biggest ROI, which was higher than the US (10%), and Europe (13%).

·75% of companies invest more than 20% of their operating budget in technology, more than Europe (73%) but less than the US (82%).

·Quality management systems (QMS) had the biggest impact on workforce challenges (17%), higher than the US (13%), and Europe (7%).

·AI/machine learning drives the biggest business outcomes (44%), above both the US (39%) and Europe (42%).

·The ability to move quickly and a lack of production capacity (both 27%) were the top reasons for companies' inability to keep pace with their opposition.

According to this year's survey, AI and machine learning (ML) are the number one areas that companies in KSA and UAE have invested in. In the 2024 survey, 87% of the companies surveyed said they have invested or plan to invest in the next 12 months, with 86% citing generative AI. When they deploy the technology, there are four standout applications: quality control (50%), cybersecurity (47%), robotics (37%), and supply chain management (36%). AI also came out top (44%) when companies were asked which smart manufacturing technologies drive the biggest business outcomes.