AI & Manufacturing

Manufacturing teams could use expanded artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to automate repetitive tasks and connect product data across the lifecycle, according to Autodesk.

NVIDIA is working with Australian data centre and AI infrastructure providers to expand capacity for manufacturing and other industries, with the companies targeting up to 2 gigawatts of AI infrastructure buildout by 2027.

Australian manufacturers could face both productivity opportunities and workforce challenges as artificial intelligence continues to advance, according to the World Bank Group’s World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence.

Manufacturing organisations are increasingly looking to agentic AI and digital workers to address workforce capacity pressures, as skilled workers remain stretched by persistent skills shortages and increasingly complex operations, according to new research commissioned by IFS.

Applications have opened for a CSIRO program supporting Queensland small and medium-sized businesses exploring research and development opportunities in digital technologies and artificial intelligence, including digital manufacturing.

Seeing Machines has launched a Physical AI Platform designed to give humanoid robots and industrial automation systems greater awareness of people and their surroundings, with manufacturing among the industries identified as a potential application.

Rinnai Australia has deployed an AI-powered customer service assistant to streamline service operations and improve efficiency, with the HVAC manufacturer reporting response-time improvements of up to 35 per cent.

Rockwell Automation has announced an API-enabled integration between its Plex Quality Management System (QMS) and FactoryTalk Analytics VisionAI, expanding the use of artificial intelligence in manufacturing quality and inspection processes.

Epicor has announced the general availability of its Epicor Prism artificial intelligence (AI) portfolio across Australia and New Zealand, introducing embedded AI capabilities for manufacturing and distribution organisations through its enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms.

Australian manufacturing analytics start-up MotionLogic has been named one of seven finalists in Propel-AIR 2026, an artificial intelligence and robotics program delivered by the ARM Hub AI Adopt Centre.