Schneider Electric announced new data it said showcased that U.S. consumer packaged goods and life sciences manufacturers are leading in industrial AI adoption globally at PACK EXPO International 2026 in Chicago.  

The company released results from a representative survey conducted by Censuswide of 252 senior manufacturing decisionmakers, supplementing Schneider's earlier report,  Beyond the Hype: Practical AI for Competitive Consumer Goods Manufacturing.  

The findings, according to Schneider, highlight the pace of U.S. AI adoption and the operational pressures driving investment. 

Key findings, according to Schneider, include: 

• AI is already more deeply embedded in U.S. operations. Among over 1,400 executives surveyed worldwide, 13% of global CPG manufacturers say AI is embedded end to end in core operations and decision-making today, compared with 29% in the U.S.—more than twice the global figure.  

• In the U.S., 52% of CPG manufacturers have deployed AI across multiple sites or processes, compared with 27% globally.  

• By 2030, 67% of U.S. respondents expect AI to be core to their operations, compared with 37% of respondents globally. 

Additionally, operational losses are higher in the U.S., where CPG manufacturers estimate that downtime, waste, delays, rework, and suboptimal asset use cost them 20% of potential manufacturing revenue, compared with a 15% global average.  

Those losses are expected to rise to 27% in the U.S. by 2027, compared with 21% globally, and to 34% by 2030, compared with 29% globally — signaling growing cost pressure and operational fragility, according to Schneider.  

The company said these findings reveal that U.S. manufacturers are moving faster on AI but face greater exposure to operational losses as domestic labor shortages, aging infrastructure, and higher compliance burdens intensify the pressure.  

To capture the full value of AI, manufacturers must pair AI adoption with foundational investments in connected, contextualized data, open automation and industrial intelligence solutions that turn insight into action and enable continuous innovation, the company said.  

Throughout PACK EXPO, Schneider hosted engagements to showcase how automation, electrification, software, and data can work together to help manufacturers address challenges like rising customer expectations, market volatility, workforce challenges and pressure to improve efficiency. 

“Manufacturers are being asked to increase productivity, adapt faster, and do more with the resources they have,” said Greg Magdanz, vice president of OEM Sales at Schneider Electric. “U.S. CPG and life sciences manufacturers are leading their global peers in adopting next-generation technologies at scale, and our data confirms that momentum. By connecting automation, data, and digital technologies, manufacturers can convert early AI adoption into production efficiencies, stronger operational resilience, and better outcomes for their customers.”