Reimagining frontline workers' experience in manufacturing with agentic AI

India's manufacturing push, powered by PLI schemes, Al adoption, and agentic AI, is reshaping shop floors, addressing talent gaps, and enabling inclusive, tech-driven frontline transformation.

- By Nitin Chandel, Group VP & India Country Manager, UKG

India's ambition to become the manufacturing hub of the world is gaining momentum with initiatives like 'Make in India' and Atmanirbhar Bharat, supportive Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, and the government's focus on MSMEs (Micro small & medium enterprise).

These efforts mirror a broader global shift, where manufacturers worldwide are responding to disruptions, workforce shortages, and supply chain volatility by accelerating the adoption of smart technologies.

From the U.S.'s recent focus on reshoring manufacturing jobs to the strategic relocation of production from China to countries like India, Vietnam, and Mexico - this transformation is well underway. In this evolving landscape, India too is embracing advanced technologies like AI to modernize factory operations and enhance productivity on the shop floor.

According to a 2024 Deloitte study, 55% of industrial product manufacturers are already leveraging GenAI in operations, with 40% planning to increase investments in AI and machine learning in the next three years.

While AI is becoming a central pillar of digital transformation, frontline workers - the backbone of manufacturing - have often been left behind, due to challenges like low digital literacy, complex interfaces, and fragmented systems.

Now, agentic AI is changing that script. With its autonomous, adaptive, and user-friendly design, agentic AI is enabling a more inclusive and impactful transformation for frontline workforces.

Talent crisis and the changing workforce demographics

Across many conversations I've had with manufacturing industry leaders, one thing keeps coming up: the talent crisis. The industry continues to grapple with a significant talent gap, exacerbated by ageing workers and difficulty in attracting skilled talent.