REPORT: Agile Leaders Confront the AI Skills Gap Learn more

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Smart
Manufacturing
2026

How Agile Leaders Are
Confronting the AI Skills Gap

93% of manufacturers will adopt new technologies during 2026.
Download our new report to discover if these investments will have a real impact, or wither under integration challenges and talent gaps.

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Two open booklets, the front displaying Smart Manufacturing 2026: Agile Leaders Confront the AI Skills Gap, with digital-themed blue graphics on the cover.

AI continues to reshape manufacturing, creating new opportunities for efficiency, growth, and competitive advantage. Yet, as organizations adopt AI-enabled automation, tools for more efficient and accurate quoting, product configuration platforms, and other solutions, many still face challenges with legacy system integration, data quality, and workforce readiness.

Key features of PLM are expanding, with top applications including:

38%

product
design

38%

project
management

35%

document
management

The Smart Manufacturing 2026 Report reveals how today’s most agile organizations are navigating these challenges while building a stronger digital foundation for the future. This data-rich research provides an insider look at the technologies manufacturers are prioritizing, where talent gaps persist, and how businesses are using purpose-built solutions to reduce complexity and improve speed and accuracy when calculating pricing and generating proposals.

Complete the form to access the Smart Manufacturing 2026 Report and see what’s shaping tomorrow’s manufacturing strategies.

A simple blue curved arrow pointing diagonally down and to the right on a light grey background, representing direction or progress as highlighted in the PIPE-FLO Manufacturing Report 2026.
Hands typing on a laptop keyboard with digital data analytics graphs and charts overlayed, highlighting the AI skills gap in today's tech landscape.

To understand these trends, we surveyed 500 software decision makers across North America and DACH. Here’s what we discovered:

  • 93% of manufacturers plan to adopt new technologies in the next 12 months, including AI-powered quality control and CPQ platforms. 
  • Key features of PLM are expanding, with top applications including product design (38%), project management (38%), and document management (35%). 
  • Cloud based PLM adoption is accelerating, with 44% already using cloud PLM to improve accessibility, visibility, and performance. 
Whether you’re responsible for operations, product development, engineering, or digital transformation, this report highlights where the industry is trending and how to stay ahead. 

Today, organizations are accelerating investments in AI to unlock efficiency, resilience, and a competitive advantage. Yet the question remains: are these investments translating into measurable impact, or are they stalling under the weight of integration challenges and talent gaps?

Two open booklets, the front displaying Smart Manufacturing 2026: Agile Leaders Confront the AI Skills Gap, with digital-themed blue graphics on the cover.

Smart Manufacturing Report 2026

Get your copy of the Smart Manufacturing 2026 report to learn how manufacturing leaders are confronting the AI skills gap, integration complexities, and other operational challenges. Download today!
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