The special manufacturing edition of the Global Business Connectivity Outlook Report launched by M&C and Coevolve examines how industry leaders address key opportunities and risks from AI, automation, cybersecurity, and connected operations.
The report highlights secure connectivity and robust infrastructure as essential for success in modern manufacturing. It looks at the expanding role of AI in innovation and global growth, as well as operational risks such as downtime, fragmented infrastructure, and cybersecurity threats.
At M&C, we lead marketing research from analysis through to content and design. For this project, we collaborated closely with Coevolve on the fieldwork and interviews, providing end-to-end project support and quality thought leadership.
As per our professional practice, the study used for this report draws from both quantitative and qualitative methods, including an online survey and virtual interviews with senior manufacturing executives.
The research included interviews with 50 executives and adapted broader findings from Coevolve’s Global Business Connectivity Outlook into a focused manufacturing analysis. It also provides broader industry insights into factors influencing executive decisions.
Key themes from the report include:
- Secure connectivity is now a board-level priority. While 75% of manufacturing leaders believe this should be discussed at the executive level, 25% report no visibility into secure connectivity conversation.
- AI presents a delicate balance of opportunities and risks. While 33% of manufacturers are investing in AI to improve secure connectivity, the report emphasizes the need for stable infrastructure, secure data flows, and reliable connectivity before attempting to scale with AI.
- The gap between technology and security investment remains a concern. AI receives 33% of investment, while only 8% of the budget is allocated to security, despite rising cyber and operational risks in a high-stakes environment.
- Operational resilience is increasingly important as manufacturing grows more complex. 40% of leaders are implementing new systems, and another 40% are auditing or reviewing existing systems to modernise existing operations.
- Manufacturers must address fragmented innovation to remain agile. Varying levels of connectivity, performance, and security maturity across dispersed sites are hinder consistent technology scaling. There is a need for standardised, highly secure infrastructure to ensure smooth operations.
- A strong foundation is as important as the technology itself; if not more so The manufacturing report concludes that manufacturers who stabilise, standardise, and secure their infrastructure will be better positioned to scale operations with AI and automation for the future.
Read the full report on Coevolve’s website.
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