This is you Industrial Robotics Weekly: Manufacturing & AI Updates podcast.Welcome to Industrial Robotics Weekly, your source for manufacturing and artificial intelligence updates. Industrial robotics is surging, with the global market for factory and warehouse robots projected to drive 60 to 65 percent of total growth through 2026, according to Novus Hi-Tech. Deloitte's 2026 Manufacturing Outlook reports that 80 percent of executives plan to allocate at least 20 percent of budgets to smart manufacturing, including automation and AI for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimized schedules.Recent news highlights this momentum. Caterpillar announced at CES 2026 a partnership with Nvidia to integrate AI into machines and factories for safer, more efficient production, as covered in Manufacturing Dive. FANUC is advancing physical AI by supporting the Robot Operating System 2 platform alongside Nvidia, enabling Python programming for high-precision tasks, per Global Market Insights. Foxconn is scaling an AI-powered workforce with digital twins to combat labor shortages.In case studies, electronics manufacturers are deploying cobots for circuit board assembly, boosting throughput while force-limiting sensors ensure worker safety alongside humans. These systems cut costs by up to 50 percent through repetitive task automation and yield strong returns, with AI-powered robots valued at 17.9 billion dollars this year alone.Productivity metrics show cycle times dropping via multi-modal sensors and edge computing, while IT and operational technology convergence supports versatile deployments in warehouses and assembly lines.For practical takeaways, assess your floor for agentic AI pilots to handle sourcing risks, invest in data literacy training for cross-functional teams, and prioritize cobots meeting safety standards for collaborative gains.Looking ahead, physical AI and Industry 5.0 promise human-centric factories with mass customization, potentially tripling capacities by 2032.Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production—for me, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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