Oct. 2, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis. — Rockwell Automation, Inc. has released The New Operating Model for Life Sciences Manufacturing: Moving from Compliance to Continuous Readiness , an industry insights report based on input from manufacturing and industrial operations decisionmakers in the life sciences industry. According to Rockwell Automation’s State of Smart Manufacturing research, 90 per cent of life sciences manufacturers say digital transformation is necessary, and 58 per cent have deployed smart manufacturing technologies at scale or across parts of their operations. Key findings from the report include: Technology investment is tied to business outcomes, not just capability: AI and machine learning (46 per cent), process automation (44 per cent) and cybersecurity (39 per cent) are the technologies life sciences manufacturers expect to drive the biggest business outcomes. Manufacturers are prioritizing these investments to improve quality (43 per cent), digitize operations (36 per cent) and reduce risk (35 per cent). AI adoption is accelerating faster than data readiness: Among manufacturers already using AI, 64 per cent plan to expand its use within the next year, and 49 per cent expect to increase investment over the next five years. Yet only 32 per cent say they effectively use more than half the data they collect. Cybersecurity has become a lifecycle requirement: 54 per cent of life sciences organizations experienced at least one cyberattack in the past year, with the greatest exposure coming from IT systems and enterprise networks (41 per cent), remote access and connected equipment (33 per cent) and IT/OT integration points (29 per cent). “Manufacturers used to treat regulatory readiness as a project — something they ramped up for,” said Matt Weaver, vice president, global industry – life sciences, Rockwell Automation, in a media release. “Now, it has to be a daily discipline built into how the facility runs. The companies connecting their data, securing systems and validating AI deployments today are the ones that will be ready for what comes next from regulators or from the market.” Read the full report here .