Survey from Fluke shows 79% of manufacturers will use AI

Manufacturers are seeking to move beyond automating low-skill routine tasks and are now applying AI and automation to high-skill roles in response to the ongoing skills shortage. The latest survey results reveal a strategic shift: instead of replacing humans with robots; industrial organisations are leveraging AI-driven technology to augment high-skill work, democratising intelligence across the workforce and addressing critical talent gaps.

The research, which was conducted by Censuswide, surveyed over 600 senior decision-makers and maintenance professionals in the US, the UK, and Germany. Findings from the survey reveal that 90% of respondents report that the skills shortage has impacted their organisation—almost one-third citing a significant effect—and manufacturers are turning to AI as a critical enabler of efficiency and productivity.

An overwhelming 98% of respondents consider AI a viable solution to the skills shortage, with 36% stating their primary motivation for implementing AI is to compensate for the skilled labour shortage.

AI is anticipated to play a crucial role in transforming manufacturers from a state of workforce deficiency to enhanced efficiency. Nearly one in four (21%) of respondents believe AI and real-time data analytics will enable them to bridge the skills gap and reduce workloads – freeing workers to be more productive and tackle more complex value-added tasks.

Uniquely, this agreement translates to the plant floor, where 40% of maintenance managers believe AI will drive a positive transformation in terms of efficiency. This includes increasing investment in innovative technologies (30%) to address productivity gaps, complement worker capabilities, and enhance overall efficiency.

“The shift our research shows is not so surprising," said Aaron Merkin, Chief Technology Officer, Fluke Reliability. "While moving beyond routine and low-skill automation has been on the cards for some time, only now has technology reached a level that allows broader adoption within industrial organisations. The evolution we are now observing, sees AI going beyond basic automation, elevating the worker experience and transforming operations for our customers.

"For example, in vibration analysis, we’ve witnessed how an AI diagnostic engine like Azima DLI can make prescriptive fault predictions available to a machine operate, where previously an individual trained as a CAT 3 or 4 vibration analyst would have been required. By accelerating the decision-making process and amplifying human expertise AI enables fast, actionable interventions that redefine operational efficiency.”

Beyond alleviating pressure on high-skilled labour, 37% of manufacturers also acknowledge that talent shortages within their organisations are down to a lack of diversity. In order to meet the needs of the modern landscape and combat this, industrial organisations are prioritising strategies that will enable them to address this diversity and applicant gap.

Top initiatives outlined to drive this change include improving their employer brand (34%) to attract new and diverse talent and implementing comprehensive training and workforce development plans (33%) to upskill existing workers, perhaps to be able to work with AI technology and insights.

“Our research has found widespread consensus that, with the right data foundation, AI tools will enable businesses to overcome their current skills shortage. Yet, the broader implications are even more profound. Integrating AI in manufacturing is not just about replacing low-skill labor with machines; it's also about strategically automating high-skill tasks while empowering the workforce to work more effectively with AI," commented Jason Waxman, President of Fluke Corporation. “The industrial sector is undergoing a paradigm shift, in which AI is not merely a tool but a catalyst for advancing the quality and sophistication of human work. By augmenting human expertise, AI fosters more resilient, adaptable, and analytically driven operations. This alignment between human and machine intelligence will have long-lasting effects on creating a future-ready workforce.”