A factory worker asks complex questions to his tablet and instantly gets the right answer, providing step-by-step instructions on how to solve the problem. Meanwhile, that same device continuously monitors its surroundings, providing contextual and situational data to predict bottlenecks, highlight inefficiencies, and even keep its human operator safe.

That’s the power of AI, one of the foundations of Industry 4.0.

Industrial AI has become more than just a buzzword. It’s now a real way of working. Machines and systems learn from data, predict issues before they happen, and optimize operations at a scale and speed that, until recently, was impossible.

AI has the potential to reshape all sectors of the economy by giving manufacturers, ports, mines, utilities, and other industries the actionable insights and situational awareness to make better real-time decisions and build more efficient workflows.

Adopting AI is top of mind for enterprises across many industries. In a KPMG survey, 72% of manufacturing CEOs said generative AI is their top investment priority — and for good reason.

ABI Research predicts AI will contribute roughly $450 billion in value across various industrial segments by 2030, while Goldman Sachs Research expects breakthroughs in Gen AI to drive a $7 trillion increase in global GDP over the next 10 years. This means more efficient, productive and profitable industries.

Increasingly, AI-powered campuses are being driven by industrial brains that collect data from thousands of sensors and processes, using it to make recommendations and tweaks at a scale humans cannot match. The result is improved efficiency, reduced energy usage and costs, and better decision-making that allows workers to focus on more strategic tasks.

For example, by turning video and location data into real-time insights, AI can quickly show workers where a tool is missing and identify production delays. If a worker sends a distress signal, AI can figure out the “who, what, when, where and why,” quickly triggering the right emergency response.

When workers have instant access to key information, they can make better, faster decisions. AI pulls data from sensors and cameras to give a live view of what’s happening, helping teams work more efficiently and follow processes more accurately.

AI also helps reduce energy waste by analyzing usage in real time, spotting inefficiencies and automatically adjusting systems to save money and cut emissions. AI-powered digital twins support predictive maintenance, reducing downtime and extending equipment life, while minimizing waste from unnecessary repairs.

While an AI-powered industrial campus is defined by its many automated and intelligent applications, there’s a lot more to it than that. The ability of any industrial enterprise to implement AI applications depends largely on the progress made in four areas of technological innovation, all of which must work in unison and build on each other:

For industries around the world, AI isn’t just hype. It delivers real, tangible benefits, from improvements in worker safety and collaboration to reductions in operating costs and emissions.

By transforming their facilities into AI-powered industrial campuses, enterprises across all verticals can automate complex processes and gain new insights from their data. While it may take some time to implement and scale the steppingstones required to get there, ignoring AI is no longer an option.