Manufacturers look to AI to improve competitiveness, but is their network ready?

The manufacturing industry continues to face global headwinds, with supply chain disruptions and new competitors affecting both established and emerging players alike. Volatile trade policies, such as tariffs, are among the most significant concerns facing manufacturers in their forward planning. Other disruptions include raw materials price rises, which increase pressure on margins, and continuing skills shortages across many domains.

To remain competitive, manufacturers are investing in new technologies to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of their operations. AI is a key part of this dynamic, and according to recent research from Omdia, at least 85% of the manufacturers they surveyed have deployed some form of it in their businesses.

Typical AI use cases in manufacturing, such as supply chain optimization, predictive maintenance, and production cycle improvements, collect real-time data and use machine learning to detect anomalies. This requires off-site processing and integration with the wider manufacturers’ digital infrastructure, which makes network performance a key requirement for their success.