5 trends that are set to transform factories in 2026

AI is transforming manufacturing - but while technology may define what’s possible, it’s people who drive adoption, speed, and impact. The World Economic Forum has gathered data from its Global Lighthouse Network, a community of the world's most advanced operational sites and value chains. These companies are finding that sustainability drives business growth, and multi-tech deployments multiply impact, These insights and more are derived from Lumina, a new World Economic Forum AI-powered industry intelligence platform that translates more than 1,000 proven industrial transformations into guidance that factories and value chains can act on.