In the future, factories are expected to be much smarter and efficient with the help of critical technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and the metaverse. Conversational AI could be used to communicate with equipment and generate machine parts, while “digital twins” will help manufacturers clone products in the metaverse. There are concerns that automation may lead to job displacement; however, some hope that with more advanced AI systems, we can work collaboratively with machines rather than get replaced by them.

According to technologists and industry experts who spoke with CNBC, factories will rely on a mix of technologies, from robots, sensors, and data platforms to edge devices, cloud computing, and AI. These technologies support fully automated, ‘dark’ plants, automated decision-making, enhanced equipment monitoring, and new production networks with recycling and upcycling capabilities.

As much more advanced AI technologies are added into the mix, the industrial manufacturing process could become even more sophisticated. Conversational systems such as OpenAI’s GPT could one day become integrated into robotics, enabling more sophisticated, emotionally intelligent machines. Generative AI has enormous potential in manufacturing for equipment optimization, interaction and intelligence, from robotic processes through to machining. Engineers will eventually be able to develop new machinery using generative AI tools.

One development many industrialists are excited about is “digital twins” - 3D digital replicas of objects in the physical world that can be modified and updated in parallel with the items they aim to mimic. Digital twins form part of the so-called “metaverse”, which embodies the idea that people will spend more of their work and leisure time in huge 3D digital spaces. Some companies are also looking to incorporate the physical world in some iterations of the metaverse.

Many manufacturers see potential in the “industrial metaverse”, a version of the metaverse tailored to the manufacturing, construction, and engineering industries. The metaverse could become a game-changer for industrial companies once they couple its collaborative, immersive, visual, and intuitive dimensions with digital twins fed by integrated data pools across departments, systems, operations technology, and IT. This could create a virtual, fully immersive, and intuitive simulation of the entire enterprise.

Companies are looking for ways to cut down on more menial tasks in factories with digital technology amid a wave of labor shortages. However, there are downsides to consider, such as job security, as the rise of AI and digital automation in factories has led to worries about the labor market. Manufacturers are still scrambling for staff, with 41% of manufacturing businesses citing talent pool as a barrier preventing full potential, according to a Bain and Company survey.

The hope is that connecting machines to the internet and integrating sensors and predictive AI algorithms will allow them to more safely navigate their surroundings and work collaboratively with humans, rather than replace them. High levels of safe automation that can operate around people will be critical for the factory of the future.