Fluke Survey Reveals 79% of Manufacturers Will Leverage AI to Tackle High-Skilled Labor Shortage

Fluke Reliability has announced the results of a recent survey which shows that 79% of respondents emphasized high-skill labor shortages as a primary focus for AI investment, in contrast to just 37% who view AI as a means to address gaps in low-skill roles. Manufacturers are seeking to move beyond automating low-skill routine tasks and are now applying AI and automation to high-skill roles in response to the ongoing skills shortage.

The latest survey results reveal a strategic shift: instead of replacing humans with robots; industrial organizations are leveraging AI-driven technology to augment high-skill work, democratizing intelligence across the workforce and addressing critical talent gaps.

The research, conducted by Censuswide, surveyed over 600 senior decision-makers and maintenance professionals in the U.S., the UK, and Germany. The findings reveal that 90% of respondents report that the skills shortage has impacted their organization—almost one-third citing a significant effect—and manufacturers are turning to AI as a critical enabler of efficiency and productivity. 

An overwhelming 98% of respondents consider AI a viable solution to the skills shortage, with 36% stating their primary motivation for implementing AI is to compensate for the skilled labour shortage.

AI is anticipated to play a crucial role in transforming manufacturers from a state of workforce deficiency to enhanced efficiency. Nearly one in four (21%) of respondents believe AI and real-time data analytics will enable them to bridge the skills gap and reduce workloads – freeing workers to be more productive and tackle more complex value-added tasks.

Uniquely, this agreement translates to the plant floor, where 40% of maintenance managers believe AI will drive a positive transformation in terms of efficiency. This includes increasing investment in innovative technologies (30%) to address productivity gaps, complement worker capabilities, and enhance overall efficiency.

Aaron Merkin, Chief Technology Officer, Fluke Reliability, said: “The shift our research shows is not so surprising. While moving beyond routine and low-skill automation has been on the cards for some time, only now has technology reached a level that allows broader adoption within industrial organizations. The evolution we are now observing, sees AI going beyond basic automation, elevating the worker experience and transforming operations for our customers.”

He continued, “For example, in vibration analysis, we’ve witnessed how an AI diagnostic engine like Azima DLI can make prescriptive fault predictions available to a machine operate, where previously an individual trained as a CAT 3 or 4 vibration analyst would have been required. By accelerating the decision-making process and amplifying human expertise AI enables fast, actionable interventions that redefine operational efficiency.”

Beyond alleviating pressure on high-skilled labor, 37% of manufacturers also acknowledge that talent shortages within their organizations are down to a lack of diversity. In order to meet the needs of the modern landscape and combat this, industrial organizations are prioritizing strategies that will enable them to address this diversity and applicant gap.

Top initiatives outlined to drive this change include improving their employer brand (34%) to attract new and diverse talent and implementing comprehensive training and workforce development plans (33%) to upskill existing workers, perhaps to be able to work with AI technology and insights.

Jason Waxman, President of Fluke Corporation, said: “Our research has found widespread consensus that, with the right data foundation, AI tools will enable businesses to overcome their current skills shortage. Yet, the broader implications are even more profound. Integrating AI in manufacturing is not just about replacing low-skill labor with machines; it's also about strategically automating high-skill tasks while empowering the workforce to work more effectively with AI.”

“The industrial sector is undergoing a paradigm shift, in which AI is not merely a tool but a catalyst for advancing the quality and sophistication of human work. By augmenting human expertise, AI fosters more resilient, adaptable, and analytically driven operations. This alignment between human and machine intelligence will have long-lasting effects on creating a future-ready workforce.”

About Fluke Reliability

Fluke Reliability, an operating company of the Fluke Corporation, offers reliability and maintenance teams the tools, software, AI powered insights, and services they need to optimize asset performance. Home to powerful, iconic brands – PRUFTECHNIK, Azima DLI, and eMaint – Fluke Reliability enables customers to shift from reactive to predictive maintenance utilizing a connected approach to reliability. Fluke Reliability informs customers on the health of their assets with software and services that drive better maintenance decisions – improving productivity, driving uptime, boosting visibility, and reducing costs. For more information on Fluke Reliability's eMaint CMMS, visit the website or LinkedIn.