Today, Samsara announced the launch of its latest State of Connected Operations Report—Smarter, Faster, Safer: The AI Revolution in Physical Operations—providing insights into how the organizations that drive more than 40% of the global GDP are using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance safety, maximize efficiency, and empower their employees. With perspectives from more than 1,500 physical operations leaders across seven countries and 21 industries, the report reveals how AI is already revolutionizing how these organizations operate.

The majority of leaders see AI as a competitive advantage and are already realizing positive ROI across safety and productivity:

• More than half (51%) of leaders surveyed are already using AI, and an additional 42% are planning to use it or open to using it within the next 2 years.

• 94% of leaders surveyed believe their organization needs to invest in AI to keep up, and 87% expect to increase their AI investments in the next year.

• 100% of organizations using AI report experiencing benefits, including improved safety (45%) and employee productivity (42%).

• Of those already using AI, 90% say their employees feel positive about it—a sentiment that applies across industries and regions.

• 58% of those already using or planning to use AI in the next 1-2 years are implementing privacy and data protection measures.

Read on for a preview of the insights uncovered in the report, and download the full report to unlock additional findings and takeaways for future-proofing your operations with AI.

AI adoption is accelerating across physical operations.

Organizations that manage physical operations—across industries including manufacturing, construction, utilities, state and local government, and more—are embracing AI as a proven technology. Nearly all (94%) global leaders surveyed believe they need to invest in AI to keep up, and 87% expect to increase AI investments within the next year. Technology will be key as organizations face challenges around labor shortages, geopolitical conflicts, and reshoring.

AI use cases and benefits are vast—and employees feel good about the technology.

AI is no longer seen as just an experimental technology for the organizations that power the global economy. Over half (51%) of leaders surveyed around the world say they are already using AI, reporting improvements in safety (45%) and employee productivity (42%) as a result of their investment. Leaders are not the only ones embracing the technology—employee sentiment is also high. Of those already using AI, 90% say their employees feel positive about it, which may be due to the impact AI solutions are having on employees’ day-to-day lives through enhanced workplace safety and efficiency.

Security and data privacy are top priorities.

AI processes massive amounts of data, which represents a significant responsibility—and risk—for organizations. Physical operations leaders are taking a proactive approach to responsible deployment; 58% of those already using AI, or planning to in the next 1-2 years, are implementing data privacy and protection measures. Organizations are also focused on functionality alongside security. 63% of leaders say they plan to adopt external AI solutions over building them in-house, and most say they will prioritize a partner’s ability to integrate with their existing systems (52%) in addition to security and privacy compliance (51%).

Unlock additional insights and actionable takeaways in the full report.

Ready to learn how leaders spanning industries from transportation to construction, warehousing, utilities, and more are harnessing AI to transform their operations? Download your copy of the full report today to explore in-depth insights into the state of AI in physical operations.