A study conducted by the Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association International (MESA) and Tech-Clarity Inc. has revealed the significant value that artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics can bring to the manufacturing industry. The report, titled “Making Manufacturing Analytics and AI Matter,” is based on a survey of over 420 manufacturing professionals and is now available for MESA members in their Resource Library.
The study found that advanced industrial analytics is the most commonly cited type of software project that delivers rapid benefits, with 100% of companies reporting gains from deploying analytics and AI. The results align with the driving forces behind manufacturers’ investments in digital transformation, with 99% of manufacturers planning to invest in operations analytics and AI in 2025 and 2026.
According to the report, it is crucial for manufacturers to invest in analytics and AI in order to stay competitive. Starting with small projects that align with key business needs is recommended, as it has been found to differentiate top performing manufacturers from others.
The report also explores the current state of descriptive analytics, predictive analytics such as machine learning (ML), and guiding operations with generative AI. Each form of AI is shown to be delivering benefits, with some manufacturers having used them for several years. As time goes on, these benefits are expected to increase and extend to new areas.
However, the study also reveals that there are still significant challenges for the implementation of industrial AI. The top challenge for both predictive and generative AI is inadequate data to train models or algorithms. Additionally, a lack of data science skills and the inability to scale from pilot to larger implementations are also cited as major difficulties.
The research highlights the importance of data governance and data operations, as many respondents reported that their data is usually consistent but not necessarily reliable or consistent. This is particularly crucial in AI, where data quality is essential for gaining trust and achieving valuable outcomes. The report also shows that most manufacturers still struggle with moving data without manual handoffs.
The survey was conducted between December 2024 and January 2025, with 423 responses from various discrete, batch, process, and mixed-mode production industries. The companies represented in the survey are distributed evenly across five size bands, from less than $100 million to over $5 billion, and are located on every continent. The respondents included top executives, VPs, directors, managers, and individual contributors from a wide range of disciplines, with manufacturing, manufacturing engineering, and manufacturing IT being the most represented.
The study was sponsored by Aegis Software, Arch Systems, Epicor, and GE Vernova, all of which have offerings in manufacturing software, industrial data management, analytics, and AI. These companies acted as support and reviewers throughout the survey and report development, and their representatives are committed to supporting the industry’s knowledge during this time of rapid transition in analytics and AI.
Qualified members of the press can request the executive summary, the full research report, charts and graphs of specific data, or an interview with lead researcher Julie Fraser of Tech-Clarity by contacting her at Julie.fraser@tech-clarity.com.
Tech-Clarity Inc. is an independent research firm dedicated to helping companies understand the business value of technology. They analyze how companies can improve innovation, product development, design, engineering, manufacturing, and service performance through the use of digital transformation, best practices, software technology, industrial automation, and IT services.
MESA International has been assisting the global manufacturing community in using information technology to achieve business results through premier educational and research programs, best practice sharing, and networking since 1992. MESA is a 501(c)6 not-for-profit trade association, and their mission is to help manufacturers learn how to improve business results through the use of PLM, portfolio management, CAD, simulation, MES / MOM, IoT, quality, service, supply chain, analytics, and other solutions.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.