The manufacturing industry is experiencing a breakthrough moment in artificial intelligence. This weekly update covers the most important developments in AI agents and agentic AI—intelligent systems that think, decide, and act independently to help run factories and improve production.

Japan's Fujitsu Launches Advanced AI Agent Platform

Fujitsu Limited, a major Japanese technology company, announced the launch of a groundbreaking dedicated AI platform on January 26, 2026. This platform is specially designed to help companies build, operate, and improve AI agents without requiring extensive specialized knowledge. The platform solves a real problem that many manufacturers face: setting up and running advanced AI systems is complicated and expensive.

The new platform offers several important features. First, it provides a safe, secure environment where AI agents work inside closed networks to protect company secrets and sensitive data. Second, companies can choose where to install it—either in their own buildings or at Fujitsu's data centers—giving them flexibility. Third, the platform includes advanced safety technologies that identify over 7,700 different types of security problems and prevent AI agents from behaving badly or producing wrong information. These safety features work automatically, so even workers without deep AI knowledge can operate the system safely.

The platform also helps companies build AI agents efficiently using low-code and no-code tools. This means workers can create AI agents without writing complicated computer code. Multiple AI agents can work together, similar to how people on a team collaborate to solve problems. Preliminary trials for the new platform begin accepting registrations on February 2, 2026, with the full official launch expected in July 2026.

Microsoft Describes the Agentic Era

Microsoft, the large technology company with operations worldwide, shared important insights about how manufacturing is changing. The company describes a new operating model called the "agentic era," where AI agents work alongside human teams rather than just performing individual tasks. Instead of automating one process at a time, these AI agents coordinate decisions across entire workflows and adapt to changing conditions in real time.

Real companies are already experiencing this transformation. Audi AG, a major German automaker, deployed an AI-powered self-service assistant in just two weeks. This AI agent answers employee questions and provides support documentation, reducing pressure on human resources and IT teams. The result? Workers spend 75% less time on onboarding and have more time to focus on meaningful, high-value work. KUKA, a global German automation company, used AI tools to cut robot programming time by up to 80%, making complex robotics technology accessible to more engineers.

The Challenge: Connecting Fragmented Systems

However, most manufacturers face a significant obstacle. According to new research from Redwood Software, approximately 98% of manufacturers are exploring or considering AI-driven automation, but only 20% feel fully prepared to use AI at scale. The problem isn't lack of enthusiasm—it's broken connections between different computer systems.

Many factories have powerful automation tools scattered across different systems that don't communicate well with each other. For example, 78% have automated less than half of their critical data transfers, meaning AI agents can't access the real-time information they need to make intelligent decisions. Additionally, only 40% have automated exception handling—which means when something unusual happens, manual workers must still step in. These fragmented systems create what experts call the "mid-maturity trap," where manufacturers have invested heavily in automation but can't break through to the next level of intelligent operations.

Impressive Results When Systems Connect

The good news is that manufacturers who successfully connect their systems and implement AI agents see dramatic improvements. Microsoft's research shows that manufacturers using unified data platforms report up to 50% reduction in defects, 50% fewer inventory shortages, and 40% decrease in equipment failure frequency. These improvements drive a projected 457% return on investment over three years.

Companies also see impressive gains in worker productivity. According to Microsoft's data, organizations report 66% of repetitive tasks automated, 70% of organizations experiencing productivity gains, and 75% reduction in onboarding time. These numbers show that AI agents don't replace human workers—instead, they handle routine work so people can focus on important decisions and creative problem-solving.

What's Next

The Fujitsu platform launch and Microsoft's agentic era insights signal that 2026 will be the year when AI agents move from experiments on the margins to essential business tools. The key to success is connecting fragmented systems so AI agents can access real-time data and make autonomous decisions that improve manufacturing operations. Manufacturers who build this infrastructure now will gain significant competitive advantages over those waiting for the technology to mature.