Automate Show

Challenge Accepted: Competing in the Next Chapter of U.S. Manufacturing

The pre‑keynote for Automate 2026 framed the next chapter of U.S. manufacturing around AI‑driven energy and industrial intelligence. Schneider Electric’s Gwen Huitt and AVA CEO Casper Herzburg highlighted how the sector must evolve from siloed dashboards to unified, action‑oriented platforms as demand for compute and power outpaces existing infrastructure. They cited staggering figures: $2.9 trillion in U.S. manufacturing value added, a $26 trillion AI opportunity, and North America’s 43 % share of global AI‑manufacturing revenue. The core challenge is the gap between data insight and execution, which can be bridged by generative, agentic, and physical AI that drives autonomous operations and real‑time energy optimization. Examples underscored the shift: “dark factories” still employ humans for high‑value tasks while AI handles routine work, with 66 % autonomous maturity already achieved in energy and chemical plants and a target of 80 % by 2030. Schneider’s Data Cube creates a single source of truth, enabling live digital twins that, as demonstrated by SQM in Chile, deliver up to 3 % energy efficiency and 10‑15 % process variability reduction. Casper also noted that generative AI can distill 100,000 daily alerts into 35‑40 actionable recommendations, preserving expert knowledge as veteran engineers retire. The implication is clear: manufacturers must adopt integrated data architectures, AI‑powered energy intelligence, and unified digital twins to stay competitive, cut costs, and mitigate a shrinking skilled workforce. Those that fail to converge process and power intelligence risk losing efficiency, profitability, and relevance in a rapidly digitizing market.