The State of Production Health 2026 provides a comprehensive look at how manufacturers are navigating the next phase of industrial AI adoption. Based on feedback from over 500 manufacturing leaders across the United States and European Union, the report examines the operational challenges, workforce pressures, and technology investments shaping production performance in 2026.
The findings reveal an industry that has moved beyond AI experimentation and into large-scale deployment. Predictive maintenance has emerged as the most widely adopted AI use case, while generative and agentic AI tools are increasingly supporting work instructions, documentation, maintenance reporting, and workforce development efforts. At the same time, manufacturers continue to face mounting challenges, including unplanned downtime, staffing constraints, and data quality issues that can limit the impact of technology investments.
The report explores how leading organizations are leveraging AI to improve asset reliability, increase workforce productivity, and scale successful pilot programs across facilities. It also examines where manufacturers are increasing investments, the barriers still slowing adoption, and the strategies being used to strengthen production health in an increasingly complex operating environment.
Download the report to discover the trends, priorities, and emerging best practices driving manufacturing performance and AI adoption in 2026.
