Industry report roundup: Perspectives on manufacturing quality gaps, ransomware trends, automation strategies, and more

If you’re looking for an accurate analysis of the state of the manufacturing industry, then go straight to the source: the workers. Reputable research conducted by industry organizations is invaluable when you’re trying to make decisions for your plant or your business. In this roundup, we’ll highlight the latest surveys, reports, studies, and research that delves into the trends, topics, and technologies that are affecting the manufacturing sector. 

A new study published in Information Fusion by researchers at the University of Notre Dame highlights the potential of multimodal large language models, such as ChatGPT, to improve product quality and worker safety in manufacturing settings. The research focused on welding in industries like RV and marine, aeronautical, and farming, and evaluated AI performance in assessing weld images for product suitability. Findings revealed that AI tools performed better with curated online images than with real-world weld data, emphasizing the need for more realistic training inputs.  

In a recent quote, Nitesh Chawla, Frank M. Freimann Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, said, “This discrepancy underscores the need to incorporate real-world welding data when training these AI models, and to use more advanced knowledge distillation strategies when interacting with AI. That will help AI systems ensure that welds work as they should. Ultimately, this will help improve worker safety, product quality and economic opportunity.” 
Download the report  

A new report from Arelion reveals that over 50% of manufacturing and automotive decision-makers identify cybersecurity as their top network challenge, with 90% believing that hackers are more adept at deceiving AI-based cybersecurity tools than human-operated ones. Nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents report experiencing DDoS attacks specifically designed to bypass AI-driven defenses, while 70% expect AI to handle most DDoS mitigation within four years. Despite concerns, 57% are already seeing tangible benefits from AI, and 69% are comfortable with its increased integration into network operations.  

In a recent quote, Mattias Fridström, Chief Evangelist at Arelion, said, "These radical, far-reaching impacts of AI mean that enterprise network operators need support. Organizations cannot cope with the complex impacts of AI on their own. They need assistance in the form of external resources, expertise and collaboration – particularly when it comes to cybersecurity. Manufacturing and automotive organizations looking to mitigate the evolving cyber threats from AI need to be prepared for the long haul. Our research suggests that enterprise network decision-makers need to take account of key AI-related issues when considering their network strategy and their choice of network provider." 
Download the report 

ETQ, part of Hexagon, released its second annual ETQ Pulse of Quality in Manufacturing survey, highlighting persistent labor shortages affecting 70% of U.S. manufacturers and a rise in AI and automation adoption to address quality challenges. The survey found that 75% of organizations experienced a product recall in the past five years, with nearly half incurring costs between $10 million and $49.99 million and 48% attributing recalls to supply chain issues. Quality is increasingly viewed as a strategic revenue driver, with 49% of respondents planning to implement AI within two years and 33% already doing so.  

In a recent quote, Vick Vaishnavi, CEO, ETQ, said, “The results of our annual survey get to the heart of what’s happening on the frontlines, corner offices and supply chains of manufacturers across the globe. While this year’s ETQ Pulse of Quality in Manufacturing survey revealed challenges that don’t appear to be abating anytime soon, the study exposed some very encouraging trends. Virtually all mid-to-large-sized manufacturers are relying on automation – from quality management systems and software to AI and predictive analytics, to help them achieve their quality goals and overcome these challenges. In doing so, quality is becoming elevated as a key corporate revenue driver instead of a tactical measure to improve efficiency.” 
Download the report

Ease, Inc. (Ease.io), a leading provider of audit and inspection software, has released its latest research report, "Pulse on Quality: Are Leadership and Frontline Teams Aligned?", revealing significant disconnects between management and frontline workers in manufacturing quality management. Based on a survey of 1,000 manufacturing professionals, the report highlights discrepancies in perceptions of quality culture, confidence in processes, and understanding of technologies like AI. Key findings show that 92% of managers rate their company’s quality culture positively, while 1 in 4 frontline workers are unsure or disagree, and nearly half of operators have seen quality issues ignored or covered up.  

In a recent quote, Eric Stoop, CEO of Ease.io, said, "Manufacturers are under intense pressure right now to tighten budgets, but without shared understanding between the top floor and the plant floor, any change in strategy is risky. The consequences are especially acute when it comes to quality, because it can and will have downstream negative effects impacting safety, productivity, customer outcomes, and the bottom line." 
Download the report 

Forescout’s 2024 Threat Roundup highlights a sharp increase in cyber threats targeting the manufacturing sector, which ranked fourth among critical infrastructure sectors and saw a 71% rise in threat actors. Of the 121 actors historically linked to attacks on manufacturing, 29 were active from 2024 through Q1 2025, with RansomHub alone claiming 78 victims and leading in large-scale data theft. Other major Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) groups include Akira, LockBit, Play, and Clop, despite law enforcement efforts like Operation Cronos.

The report also notes threats from hacktivist and state-sponsored groups, such as Handala, APT28, and Volt Typhoon, targeting OT and ICS environments. Data exfiltration was the most common impact, with over 3.3TB of sensitive information stolen, including two massive breaches totaling nearly 2.5TB attributed to RansomHub. Key threat trends include the growing use of RMM tools for persistence, EDR bypass techniques for defense evasion, and the widespread adoption of multi-platform ransomware and specialized data exfiltration tools. 
Download the report