by Gary Mintchell | Nov 14, 2025 | Business, Commentary, Manufacturing IT, News
I’ve had the opportunity to talk with many CEOs and SVPs following acquisitions that, to me, seemed out of place. Perhaps a distraction to core business. Perhaps just an ego play to build a larger business/division. Two ranking executives told me that the acquired company and the acquiring company’s software were build with object-oriented programming. Therefore, they said, they could just combine the objects into a new, stronger software offering.
Neither succeeded.
It so happened that the PTC CEO and I were attending the same conference not long after the acquisition of ThingWorx and Kepware. Both acquisitions were beneficial to the owners of the acquired companies. I couldn’t see how entering a new market could help PTC’s business.
“Gary,” I was assured, “we will integrate all the software into a unified and comprehensive industrial software offering.”
I didn’t believe it then. Subsequent events proved me correct. PTC has unloaded the two companies to TPG, a company that seems (foolishly?) trying to grow into a market that I think is dominated (at least in terms of innovation) by Inductive Automation. TPG previously acquired the industrial software business (former Cimplicity, Intellution, iFix) from GE Vernova. I bet they think they can integrate the three (and perhaps others?) into a competitive offering.
Meanwhile, PTC states that the “sale of Kepware and ThingWorx businesses enables PTC to increase focus on Intelligent Product Lifecycle vision.”
PTC further says, “Transaction will provide the Kepware and ThingWorx businesses with additional resources for growth.” I guess that means that PTC had ceased providing sufficient resources for that said growth. TPG is one of those private equity firms. Think it will fatten them up for eventual sale?
Here’s a bit about the businesses, in case you’ve forgotten about them.
Kepware facilitates connectivity between industrial automation devices and applications, acting as a communication platform that enables data exchange and integration across a diverse range of industries including manufacturing, oil and gas, and utilities to simplify the process of collecting, monitoring, and controlling data from multiple sources. ThingWorx is a comprehensive IoT platform for industrial enterprises that connects systems, analyzes data, and enables the remote management of devices through a secure and scalable architecture.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of calendar year 2026, subject to the satisfaction of regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.
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by Gary Mintchell | Nov 10, 2025 | Automation, Commentary, Networking, Technology, Wireless
This is the weirdest press release I’ve received in a while. It appears that Pepperl + Fuchs needed to remind people it is still in the game. The company hasn’t updated me in years. I’ve known it mostly as a sensor manufacturer. This update concerns mobile devices, a market that companies such as this have pursued. Almost no one talks about augmented reality these days aside from speculation that Apple may move that way following the tepid acceptance of its virtual reality headset.
The release is obviously a marketing piece, but it provides observations useful to us all.
Hazardous areas
The digitalization of processes in hazardous areas places high demands on explosion protection. All infrastructure components used in these areas must be intrinsically safe or explosion-proof and certified. The Pepperl+Fuchs Group, a pioneer in the field of mobile devices for hazardous areas, meets these requirements with a comprehensive portfolio of certified solutions, from smartphones, tablets, and HMI systems to intrinsically safe barriers and remote I/O systems to Ethernet APL technology and sensor technology in hazardous areas.
As promised, news about augmented reality. This part of the story discusses virtues of AR without mentioning any P+F products. AR does hold promise, especially when companies need to bring in new employees who, of course, will not have had extensive experience.
Augmented reality (AR) offers enormous potential at device level for digitalizing processes. With the help of this technology, information can be brought directly into the field of vision and display of employees in real time and presented in a spatially and context-sensitive manner.
AR therefore offers particularly great potential for complex tasks such as shutdown work, commissioning, or fault diagnosis in areas that are difficult to access. The technology is also ideal for training and qualifying new employees, for example in practical on-the-job training with AR-supported instructions or via remote support. In addition, AR overlays can be linked to digital twins of assets to simulate scenarios. This integration significantly improves the basis for decision-making, increases efficiency, and ensures safe plant operation.
P+F touts 5G technology for communications. I’ve written about the hope of 5G for a few years. Only in the past few months has there been a successful use case presented to me using many of the anticipated benefits.
In addition to the necessary bandwidth, 5G also provides the low latency required to transmit AR content in real time and integrate it seamlessly. On site, technicians receive context-sensitive instructions, overlay markings on components, and live data such as sensor values or histories directly in their field of vision. At the same time, they can request support or instructions from remote experts at any time, who can be easily connected.
This shifts maintenance processes more toward just-in-time assistance, reducing errors and increasing first-time fix rates. Planning is shifting organizationally toward data- and event-driven workflows, for example, when predictive maintenance alerts automatically trigger AR checklists. An integrative approach is crucial here. AR and 5G are not isolated solutions. They must be seamlessly connected to CMMS/ERP systems, asset digital twins, and role and rights models.
Android Apps
Customers also benefit from the fact that Pepperl+Fuchs mobile devices are part of the Android Enterprise Recommended (AER) program. This guarantees consistent, easy deployment and management of mobile solutions through hardware and operating system support, as well as guaranteed security and operating system updates. The Samsung Knox mobile security solution also ensures a high level of device and data security for companies.
Connected workers—highly networked into the future. Summary.
Intrinsically safe tablets and smartphones already serve as digital and networked hubs for connected workers. They enable authentication, collect sensor data, and bundle a wide variety of communication channels. They also allow for the seamless integration of mobile scanners, IoT gateways, or communication peripherals such as headsets. This makes them a central component for safe, efficient, and networked work processes in hazardous areas.
In the future, platforms for “digital shift operation” will emerge that digitally map handover protocols, know-how transfers, shift handovers, and shift KPIs, thus enabling comprehensive shift digitalization. Step by step, the connected worker is evolving into a highly networked, smart-supported employee who can access and respond to all relevant information, analysis tools, and expert knowledge securely and context-sensitively in real time at any time.
“As a pioneer, Pepperl+Fuchs is continuously working on developing intuitive solutions to optimally connect people in industrial environments, simplify work processes, and sustainably increase efficiency,” says Christopher Limbrunner, Team Lead Product Management of the Enterprise Mobility division at Pepperl+Fuchs. “In addition to providing the right hardware, we also support our customers in the holistic planning and implementation of the necessary infrastructure. They benefit from our many years of expertise and a global support and service network. This ensures that applications are not only compliant and reliable, but also efficient and future oriented.”
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by Gary Mintchell | Nov 3, 2025 | Commentary, Generative AI, News
The IEEE released “The Impact of Technology in 2026 and Beyond: an IEEE Global Study” surveyed 400 CIOs, CTOs, IT directors, and other technology leaders in Brazil, China, Japan, India, the U.K. and U.S. at organizations with more than 1,000 employees across multiple industry sectors including banking and financial services, consumer goods, education, electronics, engineering, energy, government, healthcare, insurance, retail, and telecommunications. The survey was conducted September 11-17, 2025.
I find surveys interesting for an understanding of current sentiment among people who may be involved in the area but seldom have time to think through the questions. As a former product development professional, I’d never use these for developing new products. You need to be a little ahead of this curve.
Still, consider these as opinions coming from a background of much media hype about AI and Agents.
In general, the survey found these opinions:
- Widespread Use of Agentic AI as a ‘Smart Assistant’ for Everyday Tasks Such as Personal Shopper, Scheduler, Data Privacy Manager and Health Monitor Expected; Agentic AI Growth Will Also Spur a Data Analyst Hiring Boom
- Annual trends study forecasts robotics, extended reality, autonomous vehicles, quantum computing and renewable energy as technology areas AI will influence the most in 2026
Be wary of adjectives and adverbs injected into survey releases. Phrases such as “lightning speed” should be sent through the BS filter of your mind. Developments have seemed fast over the past few years. They also seem to have stalled.
Agentic AI is like a smart assistant that, when given a task, can work independently, but still needs its work double-checked. Its adoption is on the rise, and a strong majority of technologists globally (96%) agree that agentic AI innovation, exploration and adoption will continue at lightning speed in 2026, as both established enterprises and start-ups deepen investments and commitments to the technology.
Following are a lot of percentages. I’d advise skimming rather than getting lost in the minutiae.
The rise of agentic AI won’t be confined to business. Survey respondents see it reaching mass or near-mass adoption by consumers in 2026 for the following uses:
- (52%) Personal assistant | scheduler | family calendar manager
- (45%) Data privacy manager
- (41%) Health monitor
- (41%) Errand and chore automator (e.g. grocery orders)
- (36%) News and information curator
In addition, 91% agree the use of agentic AI to analyze greater amounts of data will grow in 2026, spurring a data analyst hiring boom to analyze the accuracy of results, transparency and vulnerabilities.
An interesting list of anticipated top skills for employees follows. Looks as if they have little to do specifically with AI (save one).
According to the survey, the top skills technologists will seek in candidates they plan to hire for AI-related roles in 2026 are:
- (44%) AI ethical practices skills (+9% from prior year)
- (38%) Data analysis skills (+4% from prior year)
- (34%) Machine learning skills (+6% from prior year)
- (32%) Data modeling skills, including processing (no change from prior year)
- (32%) Software development skills (-8% from prior year)
An interesting list of applications. Why was extended reality cited? That seems a long way off, if ever happening. Autonomous vehicles do keep improving.
A majority (77%) of technologists agree the novelty of humanoid robots can inject fun into the workplace but over time will become like commonplace co-workers with circuits. Robotics is also a top area of technology over half (52%) of technologists think will be influenced by AI in 2026. Other areas influenced by AI in 2026 will include extended reality (XR), including augmented, virtual and mixed reality (36%); and autonomous vehicles (35%).
I don’t see manufacturing/industrial applications hitting the top list.
Meanwhile, the top industries expected to experience the greatest transformation from AI next year will be software (52%); banking and financial services (42%); healthcare (37%) and automotive and transportation (32%).
Will they use it?
- (39%) Using Regularly, But Selectively: Generative AI will continue to be a regular part of our work in selective areas, and adds value. (+20% from prior year)
- (35%) Rapidly Integrating, Expecting Bottom Line Results: AI will continue to be integrated throughout all our operations. We’ve already seen measurable bottom line results and expect these to grow.
The top uses for AI applications technology leaders expect in 2026 includes:
- (47%) Real-time cybersecurity vulnerability identification and attack prevention (-1% from prior year)
- (39%) Aiding and/or accelerating software development (+4% from prior year)
- (35%) Increasing supply chain and warehouse automation efficiencies (+2% from prior year)
- (32%) Automating customer service (+4% from prior year)
- (29%) Powering educational activities such as customizing learning, intelligent tutoring systems, university chatbots (-10% from prior year)
- (23%) Accelerating disease mapping and drug discovery (-3% from prior year)
- (22%) Automating and/or stabilizing utility power sources (-3% from prior year)
Will you be using AI—really?
More than half of those surveyed (51%) cited 26-50% of jobs across the global economy will be augmented by AI software in 2026, while less than one-third (30%) cited 51-75% of jobs, (16%) cited 1-25% of jobs, and only (4%) cited 76-100% of jobs.
I’m thinking we may be reaching peak capital investment—mostly for economic reason, not technical. But many people ride the wave.
Close to half of technologists (49%) think it will take 5-7 years to build out the global data center infrastructure required to meet growing AI development and demand. One-third think it will happen sooner, in 3-4 years, while 10% think it will not happen for 8-10 years or more.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 20, 2025 | Commentary, News, Robots
News reports back in the early 1980s continuously propagated the idea that Japan was far ahead of the US installing robots in manufacturing. Digging below the headlines, we could discover some pertinent technology facts.
We had two principle ways to pick parts, say off a conveyor, and place them into an assembly or on a pallet. One was a simple X-Y axis “pick-and-place”. The other was a 3-axis (or more) SCARA robot or a 5-axis robot (á la Fanuc or Asea). Japan considered all of the above as robots, whereas only the latter were considered robots in the US.
I really like News Items by John Ellis. He recently posted this news items sourcing The New York Times (hardly a bastion of authentic manufacturing information).
China is making and installing factory robots at a far greater pace than any other country, with the United States a distant third, further strengthening China’s already dominant global role in manufacturing. There were more than two million robots working in Chinese factories last year, according to a report released Thursday by the International Federation of Robotics, a nonprofit trade group for makers of industrial robots. Factories in China installed nearly 300,000 new robots last year, more than the rest of the world combined, the report found. American factories installed 34,000. While Chinese factories have been using more robots, they have also gotten better at making them. (Source: nytimes.com)
Perhaps China needs to install more robots because it is still catching up to US manufacturing? Not sure, but worth asking. Sometimes gross numbers from an industry group can be misleading. It’s like using percentages in places where percentage gain or loss is essentially meaningless.
I think another angle is to consider that the robot market in the US became mature. Even the collaborative robot market is saturating. Adding AI technologies and new form factors looks promising for expanding the market. I’d like to see much more depth—both from the IFR and the NYT.
More troubling was another item from the NYT on News Items.
New national test results for 12th graders, released this month, showed significant declines in students’ math and reading abilities since 2019, results that are now being felt in college and the labor market. On the national test, students’ reading scores were the worst in three decades, and math scores were the lowest since 2005. The scores are at least partially explained by the pandemic and school closures.
The numbers have not been good for quite some time. They offer an explanation that perhaps partially explains the drop. My neighbor, for example, taught 8th-grade math during the pandemic. She was frustrated trying to teach math over Zoom. But this is not a new phenomenon.
Anther contributor to the comparison numbers lies in the population. We test everyone in the US. Other countries do not test the entire population of students or may not have every child enrolled in that type of school.
So, the NYT falls into a trope:
But they also reflect broader societal changes, including an increase in time spent in front of screens for both young people and adults.
But they also point to something I’ve seen through the eyes of my wife—a long-time elementary school teacher.
The decline was primarily driven by lower-scoring students, who have been losing ground for a decade.
She was frustrated at both ends of the spectrum. Some parents didn’t care or were not supportive of their child. On the other hand, other parents pressed for special treatment, exemption from work, automatic better grades, and the like (helicopter or snow-plow parents).
They are correct in trying to come up with consequences:
The results have vast consequences for a generation of students, the U.S. economy and the country, which already ranks 28th in the world for math, behind Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and nearly every other major industrialized democracy. The world’s highest-performing countries not only produce students who outscore the brightest American students at the top. They also manage to lift far more students up to a base level of skill — something some experts believe is only going to become more important in a world of artificial intelligence.
What can you do to help? Offer to tutor? Find ways to encourage kids? Sponsor a First Robotics team?
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by Gary Mintchell | Oct 15, 2025 | Commentary, Generative AI, Podcast
I’ve published a podcast both on my podcast app (available in Apple, Overcast, or wherever you download them) and on YouTube. You can subscribe on any. Or click the links for podcast or YouTube on the right sidebar.
Why pursue AI? As a tool to help entrepreneurs add value to their companies. The appropriate roll out entails organizing small “pirate ships” empowered to experiment and implement with a budget and air cover. Many concerns about AI’s impact on employment and organization are over blown. History shows that new technology winds up creating more jobs than it destroys. This podcast is sponsored by Inductive Automation.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 3, 2025 | Automation, Commentary, Generative AI
Q: Why are we building out this new technology?
A: Because we can.
Better Q: What good will this new technology bring to society?
Voice AI and Voice assistant (also assistance) press releases keep coming my way. They extol how realistic the conversations with (nonhuman) voice AI are becoming. Companies will be able to use these more extensively for customer support.
I understand how challenging finding employees for this sort of work has become. Especially that they would like to be paid. The operations expenditure for a voice assistant is quite low after a modest capital expenditure. Makes it attractive to MBAs.
Just today I was trying to find the source of a problem between my WordPress site (with WP Engine) and Cloudflare. Three weeks ago a DNS update at WPEngine (I think) shut down my site. I searched around looking for an answer. Updated some DNS settings on Cloudflare, and my site was back up.
But there were still little problems. Now my site is showing no statistics. Went to WPEngine. It had forgotten who I was. (Another story). Went to Cloudflare. Checked DNS settings versus what I saw on WPEngine. Updated for the second time in a month.
But support? All I got were generic tree-structure questions and perhaps an AI chat bot. No real help.
I appreciate the technology behind Deepgram, about whom I’ve written five times this year (here, here, here, here, and here). But as a consumer, I’m not all that sanguine about the use of the technology. Just because we can do it, will that make customer service and support more human and helpful?
