From Skepticism to Support: AI Gains Traction in Packaging Operations

As AI reduces workload stress and improves system performance, both workers and suppliers are accelerating adoption, while vendor specialization sets the stage for consolidation.

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PMMI Business Intelligence: 2026 Building an AI Advantage in Packaging Equipment

Since 2024, rapid advances in AI have driven a noticeable shift in how the packaging machinery industry views the technology.

According to PMMI’s Building an AI Advantage in Packaging Equipment report, machinery suppliers are investing heavily in smart systems and integrated solutions, with adoption of AI technologies steadily increasing.

Frontline workers who have seen AI reduce workloads report greater support for its use, largely because it reduces job stress.

In the near term, progress in AI is expected to come from increased autonomy, intelligence, and versatility. As these capabilities improve, AI-enabled systems will deliver greater efficiency and performance.

AI vendors are also becoming more specialized, developing niche solutions. Some offer broad platforms built around a core product, while others focus on specific applications, such as predictive maintenance.

This specialization is expected to increase competition, creating opportunities for market growth and consolidation.

“In the next five years, the trajectory will move from isolated optimization to coordinated orchestration,” a global product line manager at a global industrial technology and automation company said. “Plant-wide systems that dynamically balance throughput, quality, cost, and energy consumption across every production stage will mature from specialized installations to standard capability.”

SOURCE: 2026 Building an AI Advantage in Packaging Equipment

For more insights from PMMI’s Business Intelligence team, find reports, including Building An AI Advantage In Packaging Equipment, Trends and Challenges in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, and Automation in Food and Beverage Equipment Sanitation at https://www.pmmi.org/business-intelligence.

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