AI and Cybersecurity: The Pillars of Smart Manufacturing in 2024

The new year is so close that we can already hear the sound of noise makers ringing in the air. This anticipation has us thinking about what comes next. If November’s market data tells us anything, it’s that the manufacturing sector will receive boosts from a resurgence in motor vehicle production as well as electronic and aerospace outputs and infrastructure spending. But on a larger scale, there are two overarching themes that we foresee rising in prominence as the forthcoming year unfolds - AI and cybersecurity.

AI and Smart Manufacturing 

We’re not alone in this prediction. When IoT World Today gathered insight from industry leaders, the general consensus was that not only will the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies increase, but that this trend will be fueled by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the attention to cybersecurity that this digitally enhanced environment calls for. 

Let’s begin with AI. The World Economic Forum projects that AI could ignite up to $13 trillion in international economic activity. And other research shows that 66% of “business leaders believe they will need AI within the next two to three years,” according to Autodesk. Although manufacturing lags a bit in its integration, that certainly seems to be changing and will only continue to change as the benefits become more and more apparent. In addition to greater efficiency, AI provides real time analytics that enriches and unburdens decision making. UPS has already tapped into the potential of AI. The company recently unveiled UPS Velocity, a new facility featuring over 700 bots and growing, that it designed to keep pace with the expanding e-commerce arena. 

But as this trend accelerates, it is important to keep in mind that AI use is only as good as the data it is based on. As Jen Ciraldo writes for Autodesk, “It will only produce the desired results if that data is reliable, accurate, and relevant.” Therefore, we also predict that 2024 will emphasize the need for responsible data as much as AI applications.

Cybersecurity and Smart Manufacturing 

While AI introduces game-changing opportunities for manufacturers and other operators, it also means that factories and industrial settings are even more connected than they once were. This demands that cybersecurity be promoted as a priority.  

Although not tied solely to AI adoption, it has been concluded that “In the past 12 months, more than half of industrial firms (54%) suffered a ransomware attack that impacted their operational technology, whether directly or because a linked IT system had been attacked,” according to Robert Lemos at Dark Reading. Furthermore, IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence reported in 2021 that manufacturing topped finance as a prime target for cybercriminals. We saw this play out in 2023 in cases such as the attack on Clorox that led to the disruption of production for weeks.

As the adoption of AI, ML, automation, IT/OT convergence, PLCs, and other tech becomes less of a choice in 2024, protecting these assets will be an absolute necessity in the new year.

Sources

    “US manufacturing output increases in November, underlying trend soft” - Lucia Mutikani, Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-manufacturing-output-rises-november-2023-12-15/

    “Industry 4.0, AI and Automation: Smart Manufacturing in 2024” - Scarlett Evans, IoT World Today
https://www.iotworldtoday.com/iiot/industry-4-0-ai-and-automation-smart-manufacturing-in-2024#close-modal

    “How manufacturers can learn to trust in AI” - Jen Ciraldo, Autodesk
https://www.autodesk.com/design-make/articles/trust-in-ai

    “5 ways the new UPS Velocity facility orchestrates industry-leading service with help of AI and automation” - UPS
https://about.ups.com/us/en/our-stories/innovation-driven/5-ways-the-new-ups-velocity-facility-orchestrates-.html

    “Ransomware, Data Breaches Inundate OT & Industrial Sector” - Robert Lemos, Dark Reading
https://www.darkreading.com/ics-ot-security/ransomware-data-breaches-inundate-ot-industrial-sector

    “With Hacks on the Rise, Manufacturers Hone Their Cybersecurity Smarts” - Stephen Gold, Industry Week
https://www.industryweek.com/technology-and-iiot/cybersecurity/article/21279164/with-hacks-on-the-rise-manufacturers-hone-their-cybersecurity-smarts