Overview
- Cisco’s 2026 State of Industrial AI report finds 61% of firms now run AI in live operations and 20% have scaled it, with most planning higher spending and expecting clear results within two years.
- Companies report rising needs for dependable connectivity and on-site computing, with 96% calling wireless essential for AI and 51% expecting big increases in network reliability demands.
- Security now sets the pace for rollouts, with organizations naming cybersecurity as the top barrier to scale and many expecting AI to strengthen monitoring and resilience in plants and field sites.
- Closer teamwork between IT and operational technology links to steadier networks, while 43% of firms lack such collaboration and nearly half of that group cite network instability as a top hurdle.
- A separate TE Connectivity index shows AI adoption above 80% across industrial tech firms, as its CEO warns that chasing quick ROI can undercut the long-term infrastructure and process changes needed to embed AI at scale.