In the face of growing cyber-risks, 61% of cybersecurity professionals in manufacturing plan to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to help manage risks and strengthen protection, according to Rockwell Automation Inc.’s 10th annual "State of smart manufacturing” report released on Aug. 13.
Compiling input from more than 1,500 participants from 17 manufacturing nations, the report reveals that cybersecurity is becoming a central business issue. It adds that only economic conditions surpass cybersecurity as the respondents’ top external concern.
One third of them report having direct information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) cybersecurity responsibilities.
"Cybersecurity is no longer just a technology issue. It's a boardroom issue,” says Stephen Ford, VP and CISO at Rockwell. “As IT and OT become more connected, the attack surface is expanding. Our latest research confirms what we're seeing firsthand: cyber-risk is now one of the greatest threats to manufacturing growth. You can't protect tomorrow's enterprise with yesterday's tools. AI is a critical part of the modern security stack, enabling manufacturers to detect threats in real time, maintain productivity, and stay ahead in an increasingly aggressive cyber-threat landscape."
The report’s primary cybersecurity findings include:
- Cyber-threats are among the most serious external risks. Cybersecurity (30%) now ranks among the top external risks, second only to inflation and economic growth (34%).
- Security teams accelerate AI adoption. 61% of cybersecurity and IT professionals plan AI and machine learning (ML) adoption to aid security in the next 12 months, outpacing general manufacturing by 12 percentage points.
- Cybersecurity tops smart manufacturing use cases. 38% of manufacturers plan to use data collected from current sources to drive protection.
- IT/OT security takes center stage. 48% of cybersecurity professionals identified securing converging architecture as a key to positive outcomes over the next five years, compared to just 37% on average.
- Cyber readiness is a growing talent priority. More than half (53%) of respondents from companies of $30 billion or more identified cybersecurity practices and standards as extremely important skill sets, compared to 47% of all respondents.
- Workforce development is still a major hurdle. A shortage of skilled talent, training challenges and rising labor costs remain barriers to competition. As manufacturers recruit the next generation, cybersecurity and analytical skills are also becoming hiring priorities, reinforcing the need to align technical innovation with human development.
"Cybersecurity has become a business enabler," adds Ford. "It's no longer just about preventing threats, it's about empowering transformation with confidence. The most forward-thinking manufacturers are proactively leveraging advanced technologies like AI to stay ahead of evolving risks."
The report’s findings are available here.
