Manufacturers are moving beyond basic automation toward a new era powered by data and decision intelligence. As cloud technologies mature and artificial intelligence systems take on more complex tasks, the manufacturing industry’s focus is turning to how these tools can drive real-world performance.
Currently, only 12% of organizations in the manufacturing industry use artificial intelligence in at least one business function, but researchers expect that to change. Global software company QAD Inc. believes the future of manufacturing will be defined by AI and cloud-based automation. The company’s cloud-based platform delivers enterprise resource planning solutions tailored for the automotive, life sciences, industrial, electronics and other manufacturing sectors.
That vision of an AI- and cloud-driven manufacturing future will take center stage at the upcoming QAD Champions of Manufacturing event, Nov. 12-14, where industry leaders and analysts will explore how intelligent operations are reshaping global production ecosystems.
“QAD’s Champions of Manufacturing initiative reflects the next phase of intelligent operations adoption across the industrial sector,” said Paul Nashawaty, principal analyst and application development practice lead at theCUBE Research. “According to my research from the AppDev data study, 72% of manufacturers are now integrating AI-driven decisioning into ERP and execution workflows; yet, only 29% report achieving full production-scale deployment. The biggest gaps remain data readiness and cross-domain integration, areas where 46% of manufacturing teams cite difficulty aligning IT and OT systems.”
News Media’s livestreaming studio theCUBE will be live at the QAD Champions of Manufacturing event on Nov. 13, talking with leaders in technology and manufacturing. Tune in to hear firsthand how process intelligence is transforming supply chain management and powering QAD’s next-generation AI platform. (* Disclosure below.)
QAD welcomes AI into the ring
The star of this year’s event will be Champion AI, QAD’s agentic AI platform. The company’s goal is to make ERP a proactive system, based on decision-making agents.
“QAD’s Adaptive Applications and Champion AI capabilities … unify data, analytics and automation into a single operational fabric,” Nashawaty said. “As manufacturers move toward AI-native ERP environments, platforms that deliver measurable efficiency gains and resilience will define the next wave of competitive differentiation.”
As AI emerges as the central force behind next-generation ERP systems, QAD is positioning Champion AI as the foundation for a new era of intelligent manufacturing — one built on end-to-end decision intelligence rather than incremental improvements.
“This is not an industry update. This is a leap forward,” said QAD Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Brahmawar. “Champions of Manufacturing is where leaders and visionaries can come together to see breakthrough technologies in action, connect with their peers to tackle challenges, and walk away with a clearer vision of the future of manufacturing.”
Viewers and attendees can also expect to see case studies for QAD’s impact on supply chain agility and real-world workflows. QAD recently completed a digital transformation project with distribution company Groupe Martin Belaysoud, overhauling its legacy planning system.
“We are proud to extend our long-standing partnership with Groupe Martin Belaysoud through the successful deployment of the latest version of QAD Digital Supply Chain Planning,” said Roy Arguelles, president of supply chain solutions at QAD. “Together, we’re enabling smarter, faster and more adaptive supply chain decisions that will drive sustainable growth well into the future.”
TheCUBE event livestream
Don’t miss theCUBE’s coverage of the “QAD Champions of Manufacturing” event on Nov. 13. Plus, you can watch theCUBE’s event coverage on-demand after the event.
How to watch theCUBE interviews
We offer you various ways to watch theCUBE’s coverage of the “QAD Champions of Manufacturing” event, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on News.
TheCUBE podcasts
News’s “theCUBE Pod” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, which you can enjoy while on the go. During each podcast, News’s John Furrier and Dave Vellante unpack the biggest trends in enterprise tech — from AI and cloud to regulation and workplace culture — with exclusive context and analysis.
News also produces our weekly “Breaking Analysis” program, where Dave Vellante examines the top stories in enterprise tech, combining insights from theCUBE with spending data from Enterprise Technology Research, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
Guests
During the “QAD Champions of Manufacturing” event, theCUBE’s coverage will feature QAD executives, customers and industry experts sharing insights on how AI and cloud innovation are reshaping modern manufacturing.
(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the QAD Champions of Manufacturing event. Neither QAD, the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or News.)
Image: News
Support our mission to keep content open and free by engaging with theCUBE community. Join theCUBE’s Alumni Trust Network, where technology leaders connect, share intelligence and create opportunities.
- 15M+ viewers of theCUBE videos, powering conversations across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and more
- 11.4k+ theCUBE alumni — Connect with more than 11,400 tech and business leaders shaping the future through a unique trusted-based network.
About News Media
Founded by tech visionaries John Furrier and Dave Vellante, News Media has built a dynamic ecosystem of industry-leading digital media brands that reach 15+ million elite tech professionals. Our new proprietary theCUBE AI Video Cloud is breaking ground in audience interaction, leveraging theCUBEai.com neural network to help technology companies make data-driven decisions and stay at the forefront of industry conversations.
