In 2025, Eurostat counted 17.27% of European Union (EU) manufacturing enterprises with 10 or more persons employed using AI, up from 10.57% in 2024. These AI in manufacturing statistics set that official figure beside US surveys, vendor studies and robot counts, with each survey’s base kept visible. Worldwide, the operational stock of industrial robots rose 9% to a record 5 million units in 2025, per the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
A survey cited by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and surveys from private firms report far higher AI use. 46% of US manufacturers are using AI tools such as chatbots in manufacturing operations, per NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Deloitte’s survey puts AI/machine learning use at the facility or network level at 29%. The surveys differ in how they define AI use, who they count, which country they cover and which year they measure.
Key Takeaways
- EU manufacturing enterprises used AI at a 17.27% rate in 2025, below the 19.95% share of all EU enterprises.
- In the EU in 2025, 41.32% of pharmaceutical manufacturers used AI, against 12.01% of textile, apparel and leather makers, 3.44 times the textile makers’ rate.
- The jump in reported adoption between the new and legacy US Census series was 159% (7.5 percentage points) for manufacturing, the high end of the range, per the Federal Reserve.
- Industrial robot installations jumped 11% in 2025, with more than 600,000 new units installed worldwide.
- China installed 354,000 industrial robots in 2025, or 59% of global deployments.
- 34% of operations are AI-augmented today in Rockwell Automation’s survey, while 18% of manufacturers remain in smart manufacturing pilot mode.
- The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte project that US manufacturing could need 3.8 million additional employees between 2024 and 2033, and as many as 1.9 million jobs could remain unfilled if manufacturers are not able to address the skills and applicant gaps.
Editor’s Choice
- Industrial robots operating worldwide: a record 5 million units in 2025.
- EU manufacturing enterprises using AI: 17.27% in 2025.
- US manufacturers using AI tools such as chatbots: 46%.
- Republic of Korea robot density: 1,220 robots per 10,000 employees in 2024.
- Forecast industrial robot installations: 655,000 units in 2026.
- Annual cost of unplanned downtime for the largest companies: $1.4 trillion at the world’s 500 biggest companies, or 11% of their revenues (2024 report).
AI in Manufacturing Statistics: Adoption Rate by Survey
- Eurostat counted 17.27% of EU manufacturing enterprises with 10 or more persons employed using AI in 2025, against 10.57% in 2024.
- That is a rise of 6.7 points in a single year.
- Across all activities, Eurostat found 19.95% of EU enterprises used AI technologies in their business in 2025.
- That share ranged from 17% of small enterprises to 30.36% of medium and 55.03% of large ones.
- In the survey NIST MEP cites, more than 80% of manufacturers said they expect to increase their AI use in the next 2 years.
- 29% of manufacturers in Deloitte’s 2025 survey use AI/machine learning at the facility or network level.
- Rockwell Automation’s 2026 study found 34% of operations AI-augmented today, with more than half expected to be AI-supported by 2030.
| Survey | Who was counted | Measure | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIST MEP | US manufacturers | Using AI tools such as chatbots in manufacturing operations | 46 |
| Rockwell Automation, 2026 | Operations of surveyed manufacturers (1,560 respondents) | Operations AI-augmented today | 34 |
| Deloitte, 2025 | Manufacturers surveyed | Using AI/machine learning at facility or network level | 29 |
| Deloitte, 2025 | Manufacturers surveyed | Generative AI deployed at facility or network level | 24 |
| Eurostat, 2025 | EU manufacturing enterprises, 10 or more persons employed | Enterprises using AI | 17.27 |
| Eurostat, 2024 | EU manufacturing enterprises, 10 or more persons employed | Enterprises using AI | 10.57 |
Source: NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Rockwell Automation, Deloitte, Eurostat, 2024 to 2026
The rows count different things, from enterprises to individual operations, and each survey defines AI use its own way. They sit side by side here rather than in one blended average.
How is AI being used in the manufacturing industry?
US manufacturers already use AI across their organizations, helping to reduce costs, improve decision making and enhance visibility with complex manufacturing processes. In Rockwell Automation’s survey, AI-augmented operations support functions such as quality, cybersecurity and process optimization.
About This Data
Compiled from 16 sources: 12 government statistics, robotics federation and company releases, and 4 trade association, consulting and vendor reports. Sources date from 2024 to October 2026. Only primary publishers and named survey owners qualified; market-research sellers were excluded. Figures are reviewed on a rolling basis and updated when sources publish new editions.
AI Adoption by Manufacturing Industry
- 41.32% of EU pharmaceutical manufacturers used AI in 2025, as did 37.44% of makers of computer, electronic and optical products.
- Pharmaceutical makers used AI at 3.44 times the rate of textile, apparel and leather makers.
- Food, beverage and tobacco makers sat at 12.47%, and textile, apparel and leather makers at 12.01%.
- Across the wider EU economy, the information and communication sector reached 62.52% in 2025.
- Professional, scientific and technical services followed at 40.43%, while every other activity stayed below 25%.
- Manufacturing sat 2.68 points below the average for all EU enterprises.
- AI technologies that let machines physically move by observing their surroundings and taking autonomous decisions were used by 1.39% of EU enterprises.
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Across these eight industries, the gap runs 29.31 points from pharmaceuticals to textiles. That gap is far wider than the distance between manufacturing and the all-enterprise average in the economy-wide figures below.
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Recent Developments
- October 2, 2026: The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported manufacturing employment was little changed in September (+9,000) but is up by 72,000 since a recent low in December 2025.
- September 24, 2026: The IFR reported that the global operational stock of industrial robots surged 9% to a record 5 million units in 2025.
- September 24, 2026: IFR data showed the United States surpassed Japan in 2025 to become the second largest market for industrial robots, following China.
- September 24, 2026: The EU-27 passed 700,000 operational industrial robots in 2025, while EU installations fell 11% to 60,500 units.
- August 4, 2026: Rockwell Automation reported fiscal 2026 third-quarter sales of $2,313 million, up 8%, with Software & Control sales up 19% to $751 million.
AI Use in US Manufacturing
- The US Census Bureau tracks business AI use through its Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS). The BTOS data from December 2025 to May 2026 show overall AI usage between 17% and 20%.
- As of May 3, 2026, the Information sector’s AI use rate was 39.7%, against a national rate of 19.8%.
- In November 2025, the Census Bureau revised its question from AI use “in producing goods or services” to AI use “in any business function”.
- The jump in reported adoption between the new and legacy series reached 159% (7.5 percentage points) for manufacturing.
- Professional services sat at the low end, at 47% (10.6 percentage points).
- Census Bureau data cited by the Federal Reserve show about 18% of firms had adopted AI as of year-end 2025.
- Among workers, year-on-year growth in work-related adoption was strongest in manufacturing, at about 58% (14.5 percentage points).
- Work-related generative AI adoption reported by individuals stood at about 41% as of November 2025.
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What share of US manufacturers use AI?
46% of US manufacturers use AI tools such as chatbots in manufacturing operations, according to NIST. The Census survey gives no clean manufacturing answer, because its question changed partway through the series. The new wording produced a 159% jump in manufacturing’s reported adoption over the legacy series.
Industrial Robot Installations Worldwide
- Factories worldwide installed more than 600,000 new units in 2025, after an 11% jump in annual installations.
- The global operational stock of industrial robots surged 9% to a record 5 million units.
- IFR President Jane Heffner: “The new mark of five million robots operational in factories worldwide is more than double the number seven years ago.”
- Asia installed 457,315 units in 2025, up 14% year-over-year.
- IFR said Europe is not investing as fast as Asia and North America, after an 11% contraction in EU installations.
- From 2015 to 2025, operational robots in EU member states grew by more than 80%, from 390,000 to 712,000 units.
- Installations are forecast to rise 9% to 655,000 units in 2026 and reach 806,000 units in 2029.
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Asia installed 3.89 times as many robots as the EU and the Americas combined. IFR’s forecast above expects global growth to continue from that base.
China alone accounted for 59% of global deployments.
Industrial Robot Installations by Country
- China installed 354,000 industrial robots in 2025, up 20%, exceeding the previous annual record by almost 60,000 units.
- Chinese robot manufacturers outsold foreign suppliers at home, with installations up 15% to 195,000 units.
- That gave Chinese suppliers a domestic market share of 55% in 2025, compared to 57% in 2024.
- US installations grew by 12% to almost 38,500 units, the third highest number recorded in the history of these statistics.
- India installed almost 10,500 units, up 15%, after average annual growth of 27% from 2020 to 2025.
- Germany held a 41% share of EU installations, even as its sales fell 8% to fewer than 25,000 units.
- The EU automotive industry installed 14,900 units in 2025, down 25%.
| Country | Installations in 2025 (units) | Change vs 2024 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| China | 354,000 | +20 |
| United States | almost 38,500 | +12 |
| Japan | 36,219 | -19 |
| Republic of Korea | 30,000 | -1 |
| Germany | fewer than 25,000 | -8 |
| India | almost 10,500 | +15 |
| Italy | about 7,800 | -11 |
| Mexico | fewer than 5,200 | -7 |
| France | almost 4,500 | -8 |
| Spain | about 4,300 | -15 |
| Canada | almost 4,000 | +5 |
Source: International Federation of Robotics, 2026
By the numbers: In 2025, the Republic of Korea installed 30,000 units, down 1%, after annual installations had trended sideways around 31,000 units since 2019. New automotive investments will come into effect in 2027 and 2028, and Korean demand for robots may break the established trend and grow in 2027.
Robot Density in Manufacturing by Country
- At 1,220 robots per 10,000 employees, the Republic of Korea records the world’s highest robot density, growing 7% a year on average since 2019.
- Korea’s density is 9.24 times the global average.
- Singapore follows with 818 units, and Germany ranks third with 449.
- With 307 units per 10,000 employees, the United States ranks 8th worldwide.
- China has 166 robots for every 10,000 people employed, up 17% year on year, and ranks 22nd worldwide based on updated labor market data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics.
- Western European countries reached a record 267 robots per 10,000 employees in manufacturing in 2024, ahead of North America with 204.
- The global average is 132 units per 10,000 employees.
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The national leaders sit far above every regional average, as the regional figures below show.
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Which country has the most robots per worker?
With 1,220 robots per 10,000 employees, the Republic of Korea has the world’s highest robot density. Its electronics and automotive industries are the two largest customers for industrial robots there. In the EU-27, robot density stands at 231 units, which is above the global average of 132 units per 10,000 employees.
Smart Manufacturing Investment Statistics
- 90% of manufacturers now say digital transformation is essential to staying competitive, according to Rockwell Automation’s study.
- 59% report actively using smart manufacturing technologies to support operations.
- One-third of operating budgets remain dedicated to industrial technology.
- 78% of Deloitte’s respondents allocate more than 20% of their overall improvement budget toward smart manufacturing initiatives.
- In Deloitte’s survey, 40% of respondents report investing in data analytics and 29% in AI.
- Almost half of Deloitte’s respondents ranked process automation as the first or second priority.
- Rockwell Automation CEO Blake Moret said continued strength in semiconductor, data center, and warehouse automation drove growth across the business.
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Key finding: One-third of operations (34%) are AI-augmented today, supporting functions such as quality, cybersecurity and process optimization, in Rockwell Automation’s study. The report analyzes feedback from 1,560 respondents across 17 of the top manufacturing countries. The figure measures operations, not companies.
Deloitte’s survey shows where manufacturers plan to put the next round of technology money.
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Predictive Maintenance and Downtime Costs
- Unplanned downtime now costs the world’s 500 biggest companies 11% of their revenues, a total of $1.4 trillion, according to Siemens.
- An idle production line at a big automotive plant now costs $695 million a year, 1.5 times higher than five years ago.
- A lost hour costs $2.3 million in the automotive sector, or more than $600 a second.
- Deloitte’s respondents reported relatively low maturity in human capital and maintenance.
- Siemens sells predictive maintenance software, so its 2024 cost review comes from a vendor with a stake in the answer.
| Downtime measure | Sector or group | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Unplanned downtime per year | World’s 500 biggest companies | $1.4 trillion |
| Idle production line per year at a big plant | Automotive | $695 million |
| Lost production hour | Automotive | $2.3 million |
| Idle production line per year | Heavy industry | $59 million |
| Lost production hour | Fast-moving consumer goods | $36,000 |
Source: Siemens, 2024
Why it matters: Siemens puts the cost of unplanned downtime at $1.4 trillion for the world’s 500 biggest companies. In Deloitte’s survey, maintenance is one of two areas where respondents reported relatively low maturity. The two findings put a large downtime bill beside low reported maturity in maintenance.
Productivity Gains From Smart Manufacturing
- Deloitte’s respondents saw, on average, a 10% to 20% improvement in production output since implementation.
- They also reported a 7% to 20% improvement in employee productivity and 10% to 15% in unlocked capacity.
- Respondents ranked their organizations as most mature in quality management, operations, continuous improvement and technology.
Deloitte reports these gains for smart manufacturing initiatives as a whole, so they cannot be credited to AI alone. They are self-reported averages rather than audited plant results.
AI and the Manufacturing Workforce
- 3.8 million additional employees could be needed in US manufacturing between 2024 and 2033, according to The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte.
- As many as 1.9 million US manufacturing jobs could remain unfilled if manufacturers are not able to address the skills and applicant gaps.
- 65% of respondents in the National Association of Manufacturers’ 2024 Q1 outlook pointed to attracting and retaining talent as their primary business challenge.
- 48% of Deloitte’s respondents said they have moderate to significant challenges in filling production and operations management roles.
- US manufacturing employment was little changed in September 2026 (+9,000) but is up by 72,000 since a recent low in December 2025, per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- The hiring figures describe labor demand; they do not measure jobs created or lost to AI.
The takeaway: As many as 1.9 million US manufacturing jobs could remain unfilled if manufacturers cannot address the skills and applicant gaps, per The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte. 48% of Deloitte’s respondents report moderate to significant challenges in filling production and operations management roles. Robots and AI are arriving in plants that are also short of people to run them.
Barriers to AI in Manufacturing
- NIST lists data quality and availability, high initial costs, skills gaps and workforce readiness as challenges for manufacturers.
- Data privacy and cybersecurity risks and integration with legacy systems complete the NIST list.
- Only 43% of the data manufacturers collect is being used effectively, per Rockwell Automation.
- Nearly half of manufacturers (46%) experienced at least one cyber incident in the past year.
- With 40 states enacting 110+ AI laws, the National Association of Manufacturers wants federal and state approaches aligned.
- 87% of manufacturers say it is important for lawmakers to understand how manufacturers use AI.
Conclusion
17.27% of EU manufacturing enterprises used AI in 2025, according to Eurostat, while 46% of US manufacturers use AI tools such as chatbots, per NIST. The global operational stock of industrial robots reached a record 5 million units in 2025. The adoption figure worth citing depends on which survey and which definition stands behind it.
Installations are forecast to reach 655,000 units in 2026 and 806,000 units in 2029. The next Eurostat survey round and the BTOS series under its new wording will show whether factory AI use is catching up with factory automation.
References
- Five Million Robots now Operate in Factories Globally
- European Union's Industrial Robot Stock Hits Record 700,000 Units
- Robot density surges in Europe, Asia and Americas
- Use of artificial intelligence in enterprises
- Artificial intelligence by NACE Rev. 2 activity: manufacturing
- Large Firms With at Least 20 Employees Biggest AI Users
- Monitoring AI Adoption in the U.S. Economy
- Rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in U.S. Manufacturing Text Only
- AI in Manufacturing
- 90% of Manufacturers Say Digital Transformation Is Now Essential
- Rockwell Automation Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
- 2025 Smart Manufacturing and Operations Survey
- Manufacturers Need as Many as 3.8 Million New Employees by 2033
- Employment Situation Summary
- The True Cost of Downtime 2024
