As 2025 winds down, Ctrl+Alt+Mfg is taking stock of what actually mattered in manufacturing this year. In this year-end special, hosts Gary Cohen and Stephanie Neil are joined by Mike Ouellette, senior editor at Engineering.com, to unpack the real state of digital transformation on the plant floor—beyond the buzzwords. They dig into: Why digital transformation isn’t new, and how today’s wave differs from past eras of automation. Where AI is already delivering value in manufacturing (and why AI agents trained on your own data are such a big deal). How digital twins, robotics, cloud ERP/MES/PLM and edge devices are changing everyday operations. The skills engineers and operators need now that roles are shifting from “do the task” to “interpret the insights.” Why so many initiatives get stuck in “pilot purgatory” and how small wins can fund the next project. Underrated cybersecurity risks in smart factories, especially around legacy equipment and the IT/OT divide. The technologies Mike believes will really move the needle in the next 3–5 years. If you’re trying to separate digital transformation hype from what’s actually working—and know where to focus in 2026—this episode is your year-end reality check. More from us: Control Engineering: ControlEng.com Engineering.com: Engineering.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Reflecting on Manufacturing Trends of 202506:37 Understanding Digital Transformation in Manufacturing10:40 The Evolution of Technology in Manufacturing15:08 Identifying Value in Digital Transformation18:38 Skills for the Future of Manufacturing22:01 AI's Role in Augmenting Human Work24:50 Challenges in Digital Integration and ROI25:07 Navigating Pilot Purgatory in Manufacturing29:34 The Importance of Data in Digital Transformation30:30 Capturing Tribal Knowledge for Future Success31:57 Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Factories35:05 Emerging Technologies Shaping the Future42:05 Evaluating the Promise of Digital Transformation