News and Insights
Rethink Opening Address: The Inevitability of Autonomous Operations
Autonomous operations are becoming inevitable as AI, robotics and other advanced technologies converge in manufacturing. The article argues that human oversight, guardrails and governance must remain central.
Rheem, General Motors Named Top Winners in 2026 Manufacturing Leadership Awards Competition
Rheem’s Alan Machuga was named 2026 Manufacturing Leader of the Year, while General Motors won Large Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year. Pure & Gentle earned Small/Medium Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year in the Manufacturing Leadership Awards.
Orchestrating Material Handling with AI & Automation
AI, automation, virtualization and secure IT/OT orchestration can turn material handling constraints into scalable competitive advantage. A unified digital foundation helps manufacturers reduce risk, unlock data and optimize operations across the enterprise.
Building an OT Organization in an IT World
Manufacturers need intentional IT/OT structures to clarify ownership, automate workflows, and close capability gaps. A future-ready organization should fit company size, talent access, and evolving digital needs.
Manufacturing Leadership Council Announces Finalists for the 2026 Manufacturing Leadership Awards
Manufacturing Leadership Council named finalists for the 2026 Manufacturing Leadership Awards and Partners in Collaborative Innovation, recognizing digital transformation leaders across the manufacturing sector.
Can AI Agents Catalyze Faster, Smarter Product Design?
AI agents help manufacturers speed product design by surfacing cross-system insights, reducing rework and automating routine tasks. They enhance human judgment with relevant options and historical context, especially when paired with strong governance and clear KPIs.
Dialogue: Leading Manufacturing Through AI Change
Rockwell’s Blake Moret says manufacturing must urgently adopt AI and smart manufacturing, with supportive policy and a learning culture, to stay competitive amid tariffs and supply chain risks.
Future-Proofing Business Amid Workforce Change
As experienced workers exit the industry, manufacturers must embed product and commercial expertise into scalable, digital processes.
Survey: Smart Factories Enter the Execution Era
Manufacturers say smart factories have moved into an execution era, with AI maturing, digital transformation becoming a competitive advantage, and more than 90% planning to maintain or increase investments in 2026.
The Best of Rethink 2025
Rethink 2025 marked 20 years of Manufacturing 4.0 insights, featuring sessions on digital transformation, innovation, and next-generation leadership from industry experts and manufacturers.
From Legacy to Leading Edge: Real Stories of Data-Driven Transformation
Four company stories show how modernizing legacy data systems, governance, and analytics helps manufacturers unlock better decisions, operational visibility, and AI-driven competitive advantage.
5 Key Questions on the Path to Industrial DataOps
Industrial DataOps helps manufacturers turn siloed data into real-time insights, improving agility, continuous improvement, and smart manufacturing. A data product strategy and unified standards can scale value across factories, supply chains, and future AI needs.
Survey: Manufacturers See Data, Lack Strategy
Manufacturers say data is driving efficiency, cost savings and better decisions, but nearly half lack corporate governance plans and many still struggle to turn data into strategy.
Digital Transformation Project Success Depends on Quality Data
Digital transformation projects often fail because of poor data quality, not just people, process or technology gaps. As AI becomes central to manufacturing, clean, reliable data is even more critical to success.
The Industrial Data Foundation Imperative: Building Manufacturing’s AI Future
Manufacturers need strong industrial data governance and contextualization before scaling AI. Companies with mature data foundations are more likely to achieve real ROI and enterprise-wide AI success.
AI with Open and Scaled Data Sharing in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Open, scaled data sharing can turn raw manufacturing data into AI-ready assets, improving productivity, resilience, and workforce effectiveness. A semiconductor workshop benchmarked near-term economic value from collaborative data ecosystems and virtual metrology applications.
Transforming Manufacturing with AI: Applications, Benefits, and How to Begin
AI and machine learning are helping manufacturers improve quality, maintenance, scheduling, sustainability and supply chains. Success depends on data readiness, skills development and a plan to scale.
The AI Divide: Manufacturing’s Pivotal Moment is Here
AI is now production-ready and delivering measurable manufacturing gains in quality, maintenance, and productivity. Manufacturers that fail to adopt it quickly risk falling behind AI-enabled competitors.
Scenes from Rethink 2025
Manufacturing leaders gathered in Florida for MLC’s record-setting Rethink 2025, focusing on accelerating digital transformation, AI, and Manufacturing 4.0 through panels, case studies, and awards.
Defining the Human-Machine Relationship
AI is reshaping the human-machine relationship, pushing manufacturers to define what intelligent machines should do and appoint leaders to set boundaries.
