IFS: Factory floor teams are pushing AI wins, but management lags

An enterprise business survey shows that operational workers are driving real-world AI implementation and delivering tangible, commercial value, but their bosses in the C-suite are lagging behind, according to “industrial AI” software vendor IFS.

The research reveals a “significant divide” between frontline execution and C-suite strategy. Factory floor teams are pushing ahead as they know the operational problems that need to be solved, recognizing that the answers already lie in their institutional knowledge and operational data. But their progress is being slowed because formal AI governance frameworks and data access structures are not keeping pace with gains on the factory floor.

Those conclusions come from the IFS Industrial Index 2026, which surveyed 2,275 executive leaders and frontline workers aged 18–65 across 14 countries: Australia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, the UAE, the UK and the US. Respondents were drawn from organizations with more than 500 employees and annual revenue exceeding $250 million, across the following industries: manufacturing, aerospace & defense, energy & utilities, construction & engineering, transportation, and telecoms.

IFS says that when frontline teams – such as engineers, plant managers, service leads, and logistics managers – connect their domain expertise and operational data with Industrial AI, the business impact is immediate. Rapid adoption on the floor is delivering direct commercial returns in savings across key operational areas, despite solutions not currently being used to the fullest. Over 90% of global organizations report significant gains in reliability and performance, as measured by:

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