TCS Future-Ready Manufacturing Study Reveals Al to be Key Driver for Margin Gains in 2026

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) released the Future-Ready Manufacturing Study 2025. The study found that 75% of manufacturers expect Al to be a top three margin driver by 2026. However, only 21% say they are fully Al-ready, indicating foundational gaps in data, integration, and system readiness across plants and supply chains. The study surveyed 216 senior leaders across North America and Europe, representing various industries such as automotive, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense, process industries, chemicals, and heavy equipment. Key findings include 74% of leaders expecting Al agents to manage 11-50% of routine production decisions by 2028 and 67% reporting improved real-time supply-chain visibility.