The future of industrial intelligence is people-first

85% of manufacturing executives believe in the transformative potential of Industry 4.0, reports Deloitte. Yet, manufacturers, particularly mid-sized firms, still struggle to convert digital investments into real-time insights.

The challenge is no longer about collecting data, but about using it. Siloed systems and disconnected tools slow decision-making, while gaps between artificial intelligence (AI) models and human expertise leave data underused. When harnessed, this data has the power to boost efficiency, improve quality, save costs and reduce both energy use and carbon emissions across operations.

The value of industrial data

The global value potential of industrial data is estimated between EUR 1.2 and EUR 3.7 trillion annually, with up to EUR 1.8 trillion in operational optimisation, as reported by McKinsey. However, only 13.5% of all EU enterprises adopted at least one AI technology in 2024, according to Eurostat, with SMEs in emerging regions, also known as the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) region, facing significant adoption gaps.

To address this challenge, Ann LoCicero founded smartFAB, a startup helping manufacturers unlock efficiency, resilience and competitiveness. Together with a consortium of industry and research partners, the team scaled up the AI Industrial Analytics platform. The result: a validated solution in four live production environments that brings improved usability and data accessibility to the factory floor. Their work has earned them a nomination for the EIT Innovation Team Awards 2025 dedicated to projects from the EIT Community pioneering a transformative product or service, with LoCicero representing the team.

Creating new tech-enabled positions

Digital transformation starts on the shop floor. When data systems are siloed, even the most advanced algorithms can’t help operators make decisions fast and confidently. This is why the AI Industrial Analytics platform puts people first and enables the so-called human-in-the-loop decision-making.

The system is designed for non-technical users and first-time AI adopters, requiring no prior data science expertise. Rather than feeding into the perception of AI replacing jobs, the platform builds digital capability into existing roles. It creates new tech-enabled positions and helps manufacturing workers transition into future-proof careers, particularly in regions vulnerable to automation-related disruption.

From operators and technicians to process engineers and plant managers, the platform provides fast, actionable insights. For decision-makers, including production heads and SME executives, it brings visibility and agility at scale. As a result, the average time-to-diagnosis for quality and process issues has been reduced by up to 50%, empowering teams to act sooner and rely less on senior engineers.

AI Industrial Analytics platform by smartFAB

The impact of unlocked data

By enabling real-time optimisation without in-house data science teams, the solution makes AI-driven efficiency gains accessible to millions of small and mid-sized manufacturers, who make up over 99% of EU industrial firms, according to Eurostat.

The result is increased productivity, competitiveness and resilience across Europe’s manufacturing base. The system also reduces the cost and complexity of AI adoption, allowing more firms in Italy, Greece, Spain and Eastern Europe to join the digital economy. In total, over 30,000 manufacturers in emerging markets can now accelerate their digital transformation.

The potential economic impact is significant. If deployed at scale across the EIT RIS regions and mid-cap industries, the platform could help unlock a share of the EUR 150 billion industrial intelligence market and drive multi-billion-euro reductions in waste, downtime and rework.

And the benefits extend beyond the economic side of things. Early deployments have already shown 10–15% reductions in energy and resource waste and up to 20% lower scrap rates, proving that sustainability and productivity can go hand in hand.

Six partners with one shared mission

The AI Industrial Analytics project, supported by EIT Manufacturing as part of the Call for Proposals 2024, was developed by a consortium of six partners across four countries, combining technical, scientific and operational capabilities.

smartFAB startup, lead and business owner of the solution, worked on the system architecture, lean manufacturing integration, user validation and market alignment. On the research side, BIBA – Research for Production and Logistics brought foundational research in AI modelling. Industrial partners, Beko Europe, BIC Violex, Dana Italia and Goodyear, provided data, co-developing use cases and testing solutions in live production environments. Together, the partners achieved Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8, proving value for the industry from measurable impact to the untapped potential.

AI Automated Industrial Analytics project team

The future of industrial intelligence in motion

Currently, the platform is deployed across Italy, Spain, Germany and Greece, with active expansion to EIT RIS regions. Its modular, scalable design has already attracted interest from South America, demonstrating strong potential beyond Europe.

As LoCicero prepares to compete for the EIT Innovation Team Award 2025, the solution is already in use and under evaluation by leading manufacturers. From automotive components, white goods, food processing and fashion – the future of industrial intelligence is already in motion.