Rockwell Automation, Inc.the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced the results of the 10th annual "State of Smart Manufacturing Report: Life Sciences Edition." The global study encompasses the responses of 143 leaders from life sciences manufacturers across 15 of the leading manufacturing countries.
Life sciences manufacturers are working to keep up with growing demand, rising costs, growing cybersecurity threats, and complex compliance requirements, all while navigating economic uncertainty and ongoing workforce challenges. Many are turning to advanced technologies to help them become more agile and adapt to constant change.
Smart manufacturing is a clear area of focus with 95% of life sciences manufacturers saying they are using or evaluating smart technology. Specifically, companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help improve product quality, protect systems and support employees where skilled labor is hard to find. Leaders are also thinking beyond quick wins and investing in technologies that will help them expand capacity and build more secure operations over time.
"Life sciences manufacturers are entering a new phase of digital maturity, driven by increasing regulatory complexity and mounting pressure to improve time-to-market without sacrificing quality," said Matt Weaver, Vice President, Global Industry – Life Sciences, Rockwell Automation. "This year's report makes it clear that AI is becoming indispensable to modern life sciences manufacturing—not just to optimize efficiency, but to strengthen product quality, secure critical infrastructure, and upskill the workforce. There's a clear shift toward long-term thinking as leaders double down on digital investments that make operations more connected, adaptive, and resilient."
Key global findings include:
- Smart manufacturing is nearly universal. 95% of life sciences manufacturers are using or evaluating smart technology.
- Top use cases for AI are clear. Most companies use AI to improve quality (53%), streamline operations (50%) and strengthen cybersecurity (48%).
- Hiring remains a major challenge. 26% of leaders say finding skilled workers is the biggest barrier to growth in 2025.
- Tech is helping fill talent gaps. Nearly half of life sciences manufacturers are turning to AI (48%) and automation (46%) to support their workforce.
- Emerging tech is gaining traction. 36% plan to invest in generative or causal AI, and 35% are exploring digital twins and simulation tools.
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