Rockwell Automation’s State of Smart Manufacturing Report finds cybersecurity is now the top external concern after economic conditions.
Rockwell Automation, Inc., a global company specializing in industrial automation and digital transformation, released the cybersecurity findings from Rockwell Automation’s 10th annual “State of Smart Manufacturing Report.” Based on responses from more than 1,500 manufacturing leaders across 17 countries with significant manufacturing sectors, the report shows that cybersecurity is an increasingly important business concern. One third of respondents indicated they have responsibilities for information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) cybersecurity.
As manufacturers adopt digital operations, the integration between IT and OT can create additional cybersecurity challenges. The report notes that manufacturers are beginning to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help manage these risks and improve security.
“Cybersecurity is no longer just a technology issue — it’s a boardroom issue,” said Stephen Ford, vice president and chief information security officer at Rockwell Automation. “As IT and OT become more connected, the attack surface is expanding. Our latest research confirms what we’re seeing first hand: Cyber risk is now one of the top threats to manufacturing growth. You can’t protect tomorrow’s enterprise with yesterday’s tools. AI is a critical part of the modern security stack, enabling manufacturers to detect threats in real time, maintain productivity, and stay ahead in an increasingly aggressive threat landscape.”
Key global cybersecurity findings include:
- Cyber threats are considered a significant external risk. Cybersecurity (30%) was identified as a leading concern, following inflation and economic growth (34%).
- Security teams plan faster AI adoption, with61% of cybersecurity and IT professionals expecting to implement AI and machine learning (ML) for security in the next 12 months —12 percentage points higher than general manufacturing.
- Cybersecurity is a leading smart manufacturing use case, with 38% of manufacturers planning to use data from current sources to support protection.
- IT/OT securityis a growing focus, with48% of cybersecurity professionals identifying the protection of converging architecture as important for achieving positive outcomes over the next five years, compared to 37% on average.
- Cyber readiness is an increasing talent priority.Over half (53%) of respondents from companies of $30 billion or more in revenue identified cybersecurity practices and standards as important skill sets, compared to 47% of all respondents.
Workforce development remains a challenge. A shortage of skilled talent, training difficulties and rising labor continue to affect competitiveness. As manufacturers work to hire younger workers, cybersecurity and analytical skills are becoming hiring priorities, emphasizing the importance of integrating new technologies with workforce training.
“Cybersecurity has become a business enabler,” said Ford. “It’s no longer just about preventing threats, it’s about empowering transformation with confidence. The most forward-thinking manufacturers are proactively leveraging advanced technologies like AI to stay ahead of evolving risks.”
The full findings of the report can be found here.
Methodology
Rockwell’s 10th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report analyzed feedback from 1,560 respondents across 17 major manufacturing countries, with roles spanning management through executive levels. The survey, conducted in association with Rockwell Automation and Sapio Research, included participants from industries such as consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, automotive, semiconductor, energy and life sciences. With company sizes ranging from $100 million to more than $30 billion in revenue, it reflects varied perspectives from manufacturing businesses. Data and statistics referenced in this release may be sourced from the raw survey data and not appear in the published report.
Edited by Puja Mitra, WTWH Media, for Control Engineering, from a Rockwell Automation news release.
