Manufacturing Today Issue - 222 March 2024 | Page 20

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The role of AI in shaping tomorrow ’ s industry .
By Asif Moghal

Remarkable changes are happening in the manufacturing industry . The global pandemic , and subsequent macroeconomic volatility , exposed weaknesses across the manufacturing ecosystem . In an ever-changing landscape , manufacturers have been forced to realign and reimagine their supply chains in realtime . Coupled with increasing consumer demands , a growing skills gap and the unprecedented pace of technology change , these challenges leave manufacturers feeling increasingly uncertain about the future .

And yet , despite these challenges – or perhaps because of them – manufacturing continues to grow globally . Out of constraints comes innovation .
The past few years have made one thing clear : technological advancements , such as AI , play a key role in shaping the industry ’ s future . Of the leaders surveyed in Autodesk ’ s upcoming 2024 State of Design and Make special report on AI , 66 percent agree that in two to three years , AI will be essential . Manufacturers can ’ t afford to fall behind ; they must embrace AI to enhance their capabilities and get ahead of their competitors .
Unifying workflows with smart automation :
AI ’ s integration into manufacturing processes brings forward the era of intelligent automation . Contrary to the fear that AI will replace human jobs , the future
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