Cybersecurity concerns are increasingly being viewed as critical business matters by manufacturers' boardrooms, as per Rockwell's report.
According to Rockwell Automation's 2021 State of Smart Manufacturing Report and related insights, key trends and strategies in AI and machine learning (ML) for cybersecurity in smart manufacturing are on the rise.
Widespread planned investment in cybersecurity platforms is one such trend, with 96% of manufacturers intending to invest or having already invested in such platforms, recognizing cybersecurity as a critical business concern alongside economic issues.
A significant portion (61%) of cybersecurity and IT professionals in manufacturing are planning to adopt AI and machine learning within about a year to enhance security efforts. This adoption rate exceeds that of the general manufacturing sector, reflecting an urgency to address growing cyber risks via advanced technologies.
Manufacturers are focusing on using data already gathered from existing telemetry and sensors more effectively to drive security decisions and outcomes. This includes detecting evasive phishing, malware, credential theft, business email compromise (BEC), and automating real-time response across various platforms (email, web, mobile).
Securing converged IT/OT architectures is another priority, as the integration of operational technology with information technology broadens the attack surface and demands AI/ML-enabled solutions to maintain safe and continuous plant operations.
Cybersecurity strategies that provide high detection accuracy out-of-the-box, lightweight deployment, and strong API integrations are also being emphasized to manage increasing threats without expanding security teams or costs excessively.
AI is also playing a growing role in data utilization beyond cybersecurity, supporting areas like quality control and logistics, indicating broader integration of AI to enhance overall manufacturing intelligence and resilience.
Manufacturers are shifting toward long-term technology investment strategies involving AI and automation for sustainable growth and agility, reflecting a proactive posture on digital and cybersecurity transformation.
The report also highlights that thirty percent of respondents consider cybersecurity as a top external threat to business growth, ranking below inflation and economic inflation. One-third of the respondents have cybersecurity-related responsibilities across IT and OT environments.
Interestingly, fifty-three percent of sampled companies with annual revenue above $30 billion consider implementing cybersecurity practices and standards as "extremely important" skill sets. This indicates a potential workforce shortage issue as manufacturers prioritize cybersecurity investment.
Lastly, the report suggests that the increasing popularity of automated smart systems is leading to increased cybersecurity concerns.
In summary, Rockwell Automation’s report highlights that smart manufacturers are adopting AI and ML not just as luxury tools but as essential strategic safeguards to address increasingly complex cyber risks. They prioritize converting existing data streams into actionable cybersecurity insights and securing integrated IT/OT environments to keep operations safe and resilient in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
[1] Rockwell Automation. (2021). 2021 State of Smart Manufacturing Report. [Online]. Available: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/-/media/rockwellautomation/customer-offerings/smart-manufacturing/2021-state-of-smart-manufacturing-report/2021-state-of-smart-manufacturing-report.pdf [2] Rockwell Automation. (2021). The State of Smart Manufacturing: 2021 Cybersecurity Insights. [Online]. Available: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/-/media/rockwellautomation/customer-offerings/smart-manufacturing/2021-state-of-smart-manufacturing-cybersecurity-insights/2021-state-of-smart-manufacturing-cybersecurity-insights.pdf [3] Rockwell Automation. (2021). The State of Smart Manufacturing: 2021 AI and Machine Learning Insights. [Online]. Available: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/-/media/rockwellautomation/customer-offerings/smart-manufacturing/2021-state-of-smart-manufacturing-ai-and-machine-learning-insights/2021-state-of-smart-manufacturing-ai-and-machine-learning-insights.pdf
- In the manufacturing industry, a significant focus is on widespread planned investment in cybersecurity platforms, with an alarmingly high percentage of 96% of manufacturers intending to invest or having already done so, suggesting that cybersecurity is considered a critical concern alongside economic issues.
- A growing trend in the manufacturing sector is the adoption of AI and machine learning within about a year by 61% of cybersecurity and IT professionals, to enhance security efforts and address growing cyber risks via advanced technologies.
- As manufacturers prioritize long-term technology investment strategies involving AI and automation for sustainable growth and agility, they are leveraging existing telemetry and sensor data more effectively to drive security decisions and outcomes, such as the detection of evasive phishing, malware, credential theft, business email compromise (BEC), and automating real-time response across various platforms.
