Deloitte’s 2025 Smart Manufacturing survey (600 U.S.–tied execs) finds momentum and returns: smart initiatives deliver ~10–20% output gains, 7–20% productivity lifts, and 10–15% unlocked capacity. Investment is rising (78% devote >20% of improvement budgets), focused on foundations—sensors, factory automation, data/analytics, cloud/edge—and growing AI pilots. Biggest hurdles: complex change, operational risk, cybersecurity, and a talent gap. Firms respond with governance standards, cyber spend, and internal change teams, plus hiring and upskilling (and selective outsourcing) across IT/OT, data, and cyber. Near-term priorities: process/physical automation, analytics, execution and quality systems, with AI maturity building on strong data connectivity.

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