The next five years promise more than incremental upgrades in the world of manufacturing. Technologies that once sounded like science fiction, from brain–computer interfaces to self-flying air taxis, are now in advanced trials, early commercial pilots, or the final stages of engineering. Some will arrive quietly, improving efficiency behind the scenes, while others will burst onto the scene and reshape entire sectors.
For manufacturers, this means preparing for transformation that will touch every aspect of production, from design and automation to workforce training and logistics.
Headsets and smart glasses are two forms of tech that have had a turbulent history. Early virtual and augmented reality products were bulky, expensive, and often underwhelming. But two converging forces are about to change that: a rapidly growing extended reality (XR) market and a new generation of devices that blend improved optics, spatial computing software, and powerful miniaturized hardware.
Apple’s Vision Pro and upcoming products from Meta, Google, and others signal the arrival of spatial computing where digital layers like navigation cues, productivity tools, and real-time data overlays become seamlessly integrated into our field of view. Market analysts predict that the XR market will expand significantly over the rest of the decade, including for industrial use-cases.
Component-level advances such as micro-OLED displays, more efficient processors, and higher battery density are making smart eyewear practical for longer-term use. In manufacturing environments, this technology is already proving valuable for tasks like remote maintenance, assembly training, and real-time visualization of production data.
For example, a technician wearing AR glasses could see step-by-step repair instructions overlaid on the machine in front of them while an off-site engineer supervises through a shared video feed. These use-cases reduce downtime, minimize travel costs and enhance worker safety, all outcomes that directly affect the bottom line.
In the next five years, expect a bifurcated market: premium spatial computers for professionals and creators, and lightweight, internet-connected smart glasses for more widespread use. Industrial and enterprise sectors will win first, leveraging XR to train employees, streamline operations, and visualize complex systems in real time. Consumer adoption will follow gradually as devices become more affordable and applications broaden beyond niche experiences.
For manufacturing firms, adopting XR today is not just about novelty; it’s about embedding digital-physical workflows, creating new training paradigms, and gaining access to real-time context in service and assembly tasks.
If 2023 was the year the world discovered generative AI, the next five years will be about turning that discovery into everyday business reality. Models that generate text, images, and code have moved from curiosity to core productivity tools in record time. Across sectors, organizations are embedding AI assistants into workflows for drafting reports, generating code snippets, and summarizing complex datasets in seconds. For manufacturing, that means spreadsheets, maintenance logs, and service workflows being automated and optimized.
What’s next is a shift from single purpose chatbots to autonomous, multi-step agents. These systems won’t just respond to prompts; they’ll plan and execute tasks, integrate with enterprise data, and collaborate across platforms. In manufacturing, that means AI systems capable of analyzing production data, predicting supply chain disruptions, and autonomously adjusting schedules or procurement plans.
Data supports that momentum: one McKinsey survey finds that 16 percent of C-suite respondents expect employees to start using generative AI for more than 30 percent of their daily tasks within less than a year. Meanwhile, a recent Smart Industry report states that depending on region, adoption has surged from 59 percent to 86 percent of manufacturers prioritizing AI. In terms of impact, adoption in industrial processing plants has shown operators reporting a 10 to 15 percent increase in production and a 4 to 5 percent EBITA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, and Amortization) uplift when applying AI into operations.
For manufacturers, the key is recognizing that AI is moving from generating ideas to executing actions. Digital systems that optimize supply chains, drive predictive maintenance, and automate service workflows will shift the competitive landscape. Early adopters should prioritize pilot programs and workflow integration, alongside pressing needs around safety and human-in-the-loop oversight.
Within five years, expect to see hybrid classical–quantum workflows delivering early advantages in specialized applications, particularly in materials science, chemistry, and optimization problems. For manufacturers, that could mean simulating new alloys or polymers at the molecular level, drastically shortening R&D cycles and unlocking bespoke materials that were previously too costly or time-consuming to trial.
The technology won’t replace traditional computing anytime soon, but it will complement it in areas where classical systems struggle. Parallel progress in quantum-safe cryptography is equally important, as governments and corporations prepare for a world where today’s encryption could be broken. Enterprises are already investing in readiness planning, ensuring that proprietary manufacturing data, supply-chain information, and IoT systems will remain secure in a post-quantum world. The next half-decade is about proof of concept turning into early practicality; businesses that experiment now will have a clear competitive edge when scalable quantum computing becomes available.
Brain–computer interface (BCI) research has also accelerated rapidly, moving from animal testing to human trials in just a few years. Companies such as Neuralink and Synchron, alongside major academic research centres, are developing both semi-invasive and non-invasive systems that enable direct communication between brain and machines. While consumer-grade “mind-control” headsets for gaming or remote work remain a long-term goal, therapeutic applications are moving much faster.
Initial applications focus on healthcare: helping paralyzed patients control cursors, prosthetic limbs, or communication devices purely by thought. These are not futuristic fantasies; they’re in clinical trial today. Over the next five years, BCIs are expected to expand in therapeutic settings, offering new possibilities for stroke rehabilitation and assistive communication.
For manufacturers in the medical technology and materials sectors, this presents a significant opportunity. Producing miniaturized biocompatible sensors, implant materials, and precision instruments for BCI systems demands advanced manufacturing expertise, an area where industrial firms can lead innovation. While mass-market consumer BCIs may lie beyond the five-year horizon, the initial value lies in medical and assistive devices where regulatory pathways exist, and the societal value is clear.
Few technologies will affect the manufacturing ecosystem as deeply as energy storage. Solid-state batteries, long considered the “holy grail” of electrification, are edging closer to commercialization. They promise higher energy density, improved safety, and much faster charging, attributes that could transform not just electric vehicles but also industrial robotics, drones, and portable electronics.
Major players such as Toyota, Samsung SDI, and BYD have publicised development plans targeting commercial production in the late 2020s. For instance, Interact Analysis projects that mass production of solid-state batteries will begin around 2026.
For manufacturers, this transition represents both opportunity and disruption. Supply chains, material requirements, and production methods will all evolve as solid-state cells start to replace today’s lithium-ion standards. Factories will need to adapt to new safety protocols, cleaner environments, and precise assembly methods that accommodate the unique properties of solid electrolytes. Early adopters that master this production shift could capture significant market share as electrification scales across industries.
Of course, the concept of flying cars has long been dismissed as futuristic fiction, but electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) are rapidly changing that narrative. Companies such as Joby Aviation, Archer, and Lilium have successfully tested aircraft capable of carrying passengers over short urban routes. While we won’t see private flying sedans parked in driveways anytime soon, urban air mobility is poised to debut as an airport shuttle or premium city-to-city service within the next five years.
Battery improvements and distributed electric propulsion have made short-range eVTOLs viable, while governments and city planners are developing frameworks for air traffic management, charging infrastructure, and noise regulation. For manufacturers, this represents an entirely new vertical, combining aerospace precision with automotive-scale production techniques. By 2030, limited commercial eVTOL operations could be a reality in select cities, marking the dawn of a new transportation era built on lightweight materials, advanced batteries, and automated control systems, all products of manufacturing innovation.
These technologies all share a defining trait: they’re no longer theoretical. Each is now in an active phase of commercialization, and manufacturers stand at the centre of this transformation.
We are on the edge of a decade where science fiction steadily becomes engineering fact. The intersection of physical production and digital intelligence will redefine not just what we manufacture but how we manufacture. From smart glasses guiding technicians to AI systems predicting failures before they happen, and from quantum computers designing next-generation materials to solid-state batteries powering electric fleets, the next five years will belong to the innovators who see what’s just around the corner and start building for it today.
