5 Ways AI Is Reshaping Maintenance and What This 2025 Report Says About It

The 10th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report from Rockwell Automation recently dropped, and one thing is clear: Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t the future—it’s the present. Manufacturers are doubling down on digital transformation (DX), and smart maintenance is front and center.

From quality control to cybersecurity, manufacturers are turning to AI and SaaS tools (like a CMMS (opens in new tab)) to help navigate uncertainty, close skills gaps, and build operational resilience. In this blog, we’ll cover what maintenance professionals need to know from the report and how Fiix CMMS is helping teams get ahead.

Smart manufacturing is here to stay and will continue to grow

According to Rockwell Automation’s global survey of 1,560 manufacturing leaders:

• 95% have invested in or plan to invest in AI/ML, GenAI or Causal AI within five years.
• 41% are introducing AI and automation to address labor shortages and skills gaps.
• 50% plan to use AI/ML for quality control this year.
• 49% will use AI/ML for cybersecurity—up 9% from last year (opens in new tab).

Yet, for all of this vested interest in AI tools, only 44% of collected data is used effectively, showing room to improve how we operationalize insights.

Learn more in the 2025 State of Smart Manufacturing report. Link opens in a new tab

AI use cases for maintenance are gaining traction

The report also highlights five top use cases for AI and machine learning (ML) in 2025:

1. Quality control (50%)
2. Cybersecurity (49%)
3. Process optimization (42%)
4. Robotics (37%)
5. Logistics (36%)

Each of these directly impacts how maintenance is planned, scheduled, and executed. The good news is that AI-powered CMMS tools can help flag anomalies, prevent downtime, optimize resources, and protect plant-floor systems. Fiix CMMS for example, helps maintenance planning by surfacing inefficiencies and organizing team workflows and assets.

Fiix CMMS in action

Tools like Fiix Foresight leverage AI to track equipment failure patterns, suggest optimizations, predict stockouts, and boost asset reliability—all without complex configurations or data science teams.

Smart maintenance still needs smart people

Despite all the AI excitement, Rockwell Automation’s report reveals a critical truth: technology doesn’t replace people—it empowers them.

• 83% say analytical thinking, communication, and teamwork are top skills when hiring.
• Nearly half of manufacturers plan to repurpose or hire more workers in response to digital transformation.
• AI upskilling jumped 10% year over year as a critical organizational capability.

Don’t forget: AI removes tedious, manual day-to-day tasks, surfaces useful insights anyone can act on, and expands workers’ capacity to focus on higher-value work, helping them achieve their goals.

Cybersecurity is a growing concern

Cybersecurity rose to become the #2 external risk in 2025. The integration of connected systems (IT/OT) and smart devices increases exposure and therefore, increases the importance of AI for threat detection and prevention.

• 38% are already using operational data for cybersecurity protection.
• Ransomware attacks in manufacturing are 3x higher than in other industries.

Fiix CMMS in action

As a cloud-based software, Fiix CMMS adds layers of protection through secure data hosting, top security certifications, permission controls, and integrations that align with your IT/OT architecture.

Data is everywhere we look, but it still needs context

One of the most telling stats from this year’s report? Less than half of the data collected by manufacturers is used effectively. The gap between collection and action can cost manufacturers lost insights, reactive repairs, and inefficient processes.

Fiix CMMS in action

With real-time dashboards, custom reports, and API integrations, Fiix CMMS helps you capture, contextualize, and act on your data.

In summary, maintenance remains at the heart of smart manufacturing

Rockwell Automation’s 2025 report highlights a global push toward smarter, faster, and more resilient operations. But it’s the intersection of technology and people, like AI-enhanced maintenance teams, that will define true success.

With Fiix CMMS, you’re not just adopting technology. You’re building a maintenance program that is:

Predictive (not reactive)

Efficient (not overwhelmed)

Empowered (not isolated)

Secure (not vulnerable)

Book a demo of Fiix CMMS. Link opens in a new tab