{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"38855","rtpr_id":"nPn3ZDTt0a","ticker":"ROK","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["ROK"],"title":"90% of Manufacturers Say Digital Transformation Is Now Essential, According to New Global Study","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-05-19T11:00:00.769Z","article_body":"90% of Manufacturers Say Digital Transformation Is Now Essential, According to New Global Study\n\nPR Newswire\n\nMILWAUKEE, May 19, 2026\n\n2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report shows manufacturers scaling AI,\nstrengthening operations and focusing on measurable outcomes\n\nMILWAUKEE, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rockwell Automation, Inc,\n(https://www.rockwellautomation.com/) (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest company\ndedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today released\nfindings from its 11(th) annual \"State of Smart Manufacturing\" report\n(https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us/capabilities/digital-transformation/state-of-smart-manufacturing.html)\n. The global study of more than 1,500 manufacturers across 17 countries shows\na shift in industry focus: manufacturers are no longer debating whether to\nadopt digital technologies, but how to execute, scale and deliver measurable\nvalue from them.\n\n(https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2982402/Rockwell_11th_Annual_State_of_Smart_Manufacturing_Report.html)\n\nThe report reflects an inflection point for the industry, as many\nmanufacturers move beyond experimentation and toward broader deployment of\ndigital capabilities. Fewer organizations are operating in pilot mode, while\nmore report active use of smart manufacturing technologies to support\nday-to-day operations.\n\nThe study found that 90% of manufacturers now say digital transformation is\nessential to staying competitive, reflecting its evolution into a baseline\nbusiness requirement.\n\n\"Across the industry, manufacturers are facing more complexity and pressure\nthan at any point in the last decade,\" said Blake Moret, chairman & CEO,\nRockwell Automation. \"What stands out in this year's research is not just the\nchallenges, but how leaders are responding - by making digital transformation\na core operating priority. The organizations that are seeing results are those\nthat connect technology, people and processes to turn insight into better\ndecisions, stronger performance and greater resilience.\"\n\nKey findings from the \"2026 State of Smart Manufacturing\" report include:\n\nManufacturers are moving from pilots to scale:\n6 in 10 manufacturers (59%) report actively using smart manufacturing\ntechnologies to support operations, while only 18% remain in pilot mode,\nmarking the decline of the pilot-heavy phase that dominated previous years.\n\nAI is becoming the engine of industrial advantage:\nOne-third of operations (34%) are AI-augmented today, supporting functions\nsuch as quality, cybersecurity and process optimization. Manufacturers expect\nmore than half of operations to be AI-supported by 2030, reinforcing AI's role\nas a core operational capability.\n\nOperational intelligence is now a competitive divider:\nWhile organizations continue to collect growing volumes of data, only 43% is\nbeing used effectively, highlighting execution — not data availability —\nas a constraint on performance.\n\nCybersecurity is an operational reality:\nNearly half of manufacturers (46%) experienced at least one cyber incident in\nthe past year, reflecting rising exposure as operations become more connected\nand autonomous. Secure, integrated IT/OT architectures are now foundational to\nscaling AI and advanced automation.\n\nThe report also finds that manufacturers are targeting transformation\ninvestments toward measurable outcomes – improving quality, reducing cost,\nlowering operational risk and increasing overall equipment effectiveness.\nOne-third of operating budgets remain dedicated to industrial technology,\nsignaling sustained, execution-focused investment rather than short-term\nexperimentation.\n\nThe 2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report draws on more than a decade of\nglobal research to highlight the capabilities shaping modern industrial\noperations, including intelligence, resilience, adaptability and workforce\ntransformation.\n\nThe complete 2026 \"State of Smart Manufacturing\" report is available here\n(https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us/capabilities/digital-transformation/state-of-smart-manufacturing.html)\n.\n\nMethodology\nThis report analyzes feedback from 1,560 respondents across 17 of the top\nmanufacturing countries representing roles from management through C-suite and\nwas conducted by Sapio Research in association with Rockwell Automation. The\nsurvey sampled from a range of industries including Consumer Packaged Goods,\nFood & Beverage, Automotive, Semiconductor, Energy, Life Sciences, and\nmore. With a balanced distribution of company sizes with revenues spanning\n$100 million to over $30 billion, it offers a wide breadth of manufacturing\nbusiness perspectives.\n\nAbout Rockwell Automation\nRockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial\nautomation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people\nwith the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making\nthe world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee,\nWisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers\ndedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how\nwe are bringing the Connected Enterprise® to life across industrial\nenterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com\n(http://www.rockwellautomation.com/) .\n\n(https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2487262/Rockwell_Automation_Logo.html)\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/90-of-manufacturers-say-digital-transformation-is-now-essential-according-to-new-global-study-302775186.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/90-of-manufacturers-say-digital-transformation-is-now-essential-according-to-new-global-study-302775186.html)\n\nSOURCE Rockwell Automation, Inc.\n\n\n\nChaya Jacobs, Director, global PR, social media, digital media, Rockwell Automation, 414-305-2784, cjacobs@rockwellautomation.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2982402/Rockwell_11th_Annual_State_of_Smart_Manufacturing_Report.jpg\nhttps://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2487262/Rockwell_Automation_Logo.jpg\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn3ZDTt0a","title":"90% of Manufacturers Say Digital Transformation Is Now Essential, According to New Global Study","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"ROK","created":"2026-05-19T11:00:00.769Z","tickers":["ROK"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"90% of Manufacturers Say Digital Transformation Is Now Essential, According to New Global Study\n\nPR Newswire\n\nMILWAUKEE, May 19, 2026\n\n2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report shows manufacturers scaling AI,\nstrengthening operations and focusing on measurable outcomes\n\nMILWAUKEE, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rockwell Automation, Inc,\n(https://www.rockwellautomation.com/) (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest company\ndedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today released\nfindings from its 11(th) annual \"State of Smart Manufacturing\" report\n(https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us/capabilities/digital-transformation/state-of-smart-manufacturing.html)\n. The global study of more than 1,500 manufacturers across 17 countries shows\na shift in industry focus: manufacturers are no longer debating whether to\nadopt digital technologies, but how to execute, scale and deliver measurable\nvalue from them.\n\n(https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2982402/Rockwell_11th_Annual_State_of_Smart_Manufacturing_Report.html)\n\nThe report reflects an inflection point for the industry, as many\nmanufacturers move beyond experimentation and toward broader deployment of\ndigital capabilities. Fewer organizations are operating in pilot mode, while\nmore report active use of smart manufacturing technologies to support\nday-to-day operations.\n\nThe study found that 90% of manufacturers now say digital transformation is\nessential to staying competitive, reflecting its evolution into a baseline\nbusiness requirement.\n\n\"Across the industry, manufacturers are facing more complexity and pressure\nthan at any point in the last decade,\" said Blake Moret, chairman & CEO,\nRockwell Automation. \"What stands out in this year's research is not just the\nchallenges, but how leaders are responding - by making digital transformation\na core operating priority. The organizations that are seeing results are those\nthat connect technology, people and processes to turn insight into better\ndecisions, stronger performance and greater resilience.\"\n\nKey findings from the \"2026 State of Smart Manufacturing\" report include:\n\nManufacturers are moving from pilots to scale:\n6 in 10 manufacturers (59%) report actively using smart manufacturing\ntechnologies to support operations, while only 18% remain in pilot mode,\nmarking the decline of the pilot-heavy phase that dominated previous years.\n\nAI is becoming the engine of industrial advantage:\nOne-third of operations (34%) are AI-augmented today, supporting functions\nsuch as quality, cybersecurity and process optimization. Manufacturers expect\nmore than half of operations to be AI-supported by 2030, reinforcing AI's role\nas a core operational capability.\n\nOperational intelligence is now a competitive divider:\nWhile organizations continue to collect growing volumes of data, only 43% is\nbeing used effectively, highlighting execution — not data availability —\nas a constraint on performance.\n\nCybersecurity is an operational reality:\nNearly half of manufacturers (46%) experienced at least one cyber incident in\nthe past year, reflecting rising exposure as operations become more connected\nand autonomous. Secure, integrated IT/OT architectures are now foundational to\nscaling AI and advanced automation.\n\nThe report also finds that manufacturers are targeting transformation\ninvestments toward measurable outcomes – improving quality, reducing cost,\nlowering operational risk and increasing overall equipment effectiveness.\nOne-third of operating budgets remain dedicated to industrial technology,\nsignaling sustained, execution-focused investment rather than short-term\nexperimentation.\n\nThe 2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report draws on more than a decade of\nglobal research to highlight the capabilities shaping modern industrial\noperations, including intelligence, resilience, adaptability and workforce\ntransformation.\n\nThe complete 2026 \"State of Smart Manufacturing\" report is available here\n(https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us/capabilities/digital-transformation/state-of-smart-manufacturing.html)\n.\n\nMethodology\nThis report analyzes feedback from 1,560 respondents across 17 of the top\nmanufacturing countries representing roles from management through C-suite and\nwas conducted by Sapio Research in association with Rockwell Automation. The\nsurvey sampled from a range of industries including Consumer Packaged Goods,\nFood & Beverage, Automotive, Semiconductor, Energy, Life Sciences, and\nmore. With a balanced distribution of company sizes with revenues spanning\n$100 million to over $30 billion, it offers a wide breadth of manufacturing\nbusiness perspectives.\n\nAbout Rockwell Automation\nRockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial\nautomation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people\nwith the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making\nthe world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee,\nWisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers\ndedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how\nwe are bringing the Connected Enterprise® to life across industrial\nenterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com\n(http://www.rockwellautomation.com/) .\n\n(https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2487262/Rockwell_Automation_Logo.html)\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/90-of-manufacturers-say-digital-transformation-is-now-essential-according-to-new-global-study-302775186.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/90-of-manufacturers-say-digital-transformation-is-now-essential-according-to-new-global-study-302775186.html)\n\nSOURCE Rockwell Automation, Inc.\n\n\n\nChaya Jacobs, Director, global PR, social media, digital media, Rockwell Automation, 414-305-2784, cjacobs@rockwellautomation.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2982402/Rockwell_11th_Annual_State_of_Smart_Manufacturing_Report.jpg\nhttps://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2487262/Rockwell_Automation_Logo.jpg\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-05-19T11:00:00.784834578Z","server_sent_at_ms":1779188400784},"received_at":"2026-05-19T11:00:01.043Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/90-of-manufacturers-say-digital-transformation-is-now-essential-according-to-new-global-study-302775186.html"},"analysis":{"id":"28295","press_release_id":"38855","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Electrical Equipment","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Rockwell Automation released its 11th annual 'State of Smart Manufacturing' report, based on a global survey of 1,560 manufacturers across 17 countries.\n\nThe study finds that 90% of manufacturers now view digital transformation as essential to competitiveness, with 59% actively using smart manufacturing technologies in operations.\n\nAI adoption is accelerating, with 34% of operations currently AI-augmented, while cybersecurity remains a critical concern as 46% of manufacturers reported at least one cyber incident in the past year.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Industry trend report: Digital transformation moves from pilot to scale in manufacturing."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"employee_count":26000,"pilot_mode_pct":18,"countries_surveyed":17,"survey_respondents":1560,"cyber_incidents_pct":46,"data_used_effectively_pct":43,"active_smart_mfg_usage_pct":59,"ai_augmented_operations_pct":34,"digital_transformation_essential_pct":90}},"quotedText":"What stands out in this year's research is not just the challenges, but how leaders are responding - by making digital transformation a core operating priority.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Blake Moret","role":"Chairman & CEO"},{"name":"Chaya Jacobs","role":"Director, global PR"}],"products":["2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report"],"companies":[{"name":"Rockwell Automation, Inc.","ticker":"ROK","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"Sapio Research","relationship":"research partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$100 million","context":"lower bound of surveyed company revenues"},{"amount":"$30 billion","context":"upper bound of surveyed company revenues"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":1,"reasoning":"This is a market research report release highlighting industry trends (digital transformation, AI adoption). It contains no specific financial results, guidance changes, or material corporate actions for Rockwell Automation itself. It serves as thought leadership/marketing rather than a material business update."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"ROK"},"globalImportance":25,"audienceRelevance":30,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"market-research-report","sectorWeight":"industrial-automation","householdBrandBoost":0,"retailFavoriteBoost":0}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"neutral","material_impact_score":1,"narrative":"Rockwell Automation released its 11th annual 'State of Smart Manufacturing' report, based on a global survey of 1,560 manufacturers across 17 countries.\n\nThe study finds that 90% of manufacturers now view digital transformation as essential to competitiveness, with 59% actively using smart manufacturing technologies in operations.\n\nAI adoption is accelerating, with 34% of operations currently AI-augmented, while cybersecurity remains a critical concern as 46% of manufacturers reported at least one cyber incident in the past year.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"employee_count":26000,"pilot_mode_pct":18,"countries_surveyed":17,"survey_respondents":1560,"cyber_incidents_pct":46,"data_used_effectively_pct":43,"active_smart_mfg_usage_pct":59,"ai_augmented_operations_pct":34,"digital_transformation_essential_pct":90}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Blake Moret","role":"Chairman & CEO"},{"name":"Chaya Jacobs","role":"Director, global PR"}],"products":["2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report"],"companies":[{"name":"Rockwell Automation, Inc.","ticker":"ROK","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"Sapio Research","relationship":"research partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$100 million","context":"lower bound of surveyed company revenues"},{"amount":"$30 billion","context":"upper bound of surveyed company revenues"}]},"model_name":"qwen3_6_27b_awq","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-05-19T11:01:24.207Z","global_importance":25,"audience_relevance":30,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"market-research-report","sectorWeight":"industrial-automation","householdBrandBoost":0,"retailFavoriteBoost":0}},"durationMs":18450,"modelName":"george-droid-qwen-72b"}}