n NEWS ALMOST FOUR IN FIVE (79%) of UK manufacturers are expecting to use generative AI in their operations this year and believe this will help them to improve their businesses, according to a major new survey of manufacturers in 17 countries from Rockwell Automation. Feedback from the survey’s 1,567 respondents reveals that 94% of UK manufacturers are expecting to use AI and ML (machine learning) in advanced analytics – the highest percentage of any country surveyed. The global average is 91%. According to Rockwell’s State of Smart Manufacturing Report – the ninth in an annual series – automation and optimisation through AI and ML are the main reasons for investing in smart manufacturing in the UK. Some 88% of UK respondents have already invested in AI and ML, or are planning to do so in the coming 12 months. This is higher than the European gure of 84% and is highest among the European countries surveyed, matching the gure from the US. The four main applications where the UK manufacturers are using these technologies are: quality control (38%), cybersecurity (37%), logistics (34%) and customer service (32%). A third (33%) of the UK manufacturers report that a lack of skills is the most signicant barrier to them implementing smart manufacturing technologies – the highest percentage of all European countries surveyed. But only a quarter of the UK manufacturers believe that they lack the skilled workforce to outpace the competition – signicantly lower than Germany's 41% and France’s 40%. To address the labour shortage and skills gap, 38% of UK companies say they are using remote working to access a wider talent pool for remote-capable jobs. Another nding is that 73% of UK companies invest 21–50% of their budgets in technology – the highest level in Europe. The survey reveals a dierence in priorities between manufacturers in the UK and those elsewhere in Europe. In the UK, quality is the top objective (cited by 42%), followed by improving the company's nancial position, and improving decision-making with data (both on 35%). Costs, eciency and quality as are the top three priorities for their European counterparts. “The ndings of this year's State of Smart Manufacturing Report underscore a pivotal moment for the industry, as UK manufacturers lead the charge in integrating AI and ML technologies,” says Asa Arvidsson, vice-president of sales for Rockwell’s north region. “This strategic embrace is not merely about technological adoption, but signies a broader transformation towards smarter, more resilient manufacturing ecosystems. By leveraging AI to enhance data-driven decision-making and operational eciency, UK manufacturers are setting new benchmarks for innovation and competitiveness on the global stage.” According to the survey, manufacturers around the world want to harness AI to tackle roles they are struggling to ll, rather than using it to replace roles. This report analyses feedback from respondents with roles from managers to the C-suite, and was conducted in association with Sapio Research and Plex Systems. It covered companies with revenues from less than $10m to more than $10bn. The report can be downloaded from https://drivesncontrols.news/z2c4e1ri 79% of UK manufacturers are putting their faith in AI Manufacturers are using AI and ML to empower their workforces and build resiliency
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