A new survey of manufacturing COOs shows high hopes for scaling AI—and high budgets. But some companies may be underinvesting in the enablers needed for AI to generate lasting value.

The vision of AI in manufacturing is seductive: “lights out” factories that are so heavily automated that they almost run themselves, with human workers monitoring operations from an off-site control center. Indeed, a few of the most advanced robotics factories have already passed a crucial line, with robots building robots.

That’s the future that so many COOs desire, according to our global survey of more than 100 COOs at manufacturers with at least $1 billion in revenues (see sidebar, “Our methodology”). Companies are raising their bets on digital and AI technologies.

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