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Fishbowl launches cloud-based AI operations platform to drive manufacturing productivity

Featuring embedded AI assistant Juno, the new cloud-based platform reduces manual workload for manufacturing businesses to drive sustainable growth. Fishbowl, the manufacturing and inventory management software for Xero and QuickBooks users, has launched its new cloud-based AI operations platform in APAC. Introducing AI operations assistant ‘Juno’, the platform debuts AI Manufacturing, which prepares jobs by checking materials, flagging shortages and generating work orders, as the first release in a broader AI rollout aimed at supporting SMB growth. Designed for small and mid-sized businesses using Xero and Intuit QuickBooks, the new AI operations platform delivers intelligent automation to manufacturing teams, reducing manual processes to drive sustainable scale. The launch marks the release of Fishbowl’s cloud-based platform in APAC, which connects inventory, purchasing, warehousing, and production into one intelligent, optimised system that is built from the ground up with AI at its core. “We previously looked at Fishbowl Advanced legacy software and, while it was feature-rich, we wanted a cloud-based solution,” said Amanda Morcom, General Manager, Offroad Industries. “We are now implementing Fishbowl’s new cloud inventory with the Juno AI agent and are excited to see how these tools will add efficiency to our day and business overall.” “APAC businesses are under pressure to operate leaner while delivering faster and more reliably,” said Simon Jupe, Managing Director, APAC at Fishbowl. “This launch marks a significant shift. We’ve built a cloud-based, AI-native platform that supports daily operations, whether it’s turning sales orders into work orders or generating complex bills of materials. It’s about moving from reactive management to intelligent execution and scalable operational growth.” Far more than just a typical AI chat interface, Juno acts as an autonomous operations specialist, doing the work that planners, buyers, and production leads typically handle for manufacturing jobs. Unlike traditional systems, Fishbowl’s AI-native operations platform continuously evaluates crucial manufacturing workflow data such as vendor […]

Tech race shifts corporate spending from personnel to digital infrastructure

Layoff discussions among the influencers on the “X” platform signal a surging moment where workforce budgets are being diverted into massive digital infrastructure for staying ahead in the tech race. This structural shift suggests a permanent move in how organisations spend their money, as capital flows away from traditional resources to fund the infrastructure of the intelligence age. Influencers warn that this transformation means the standard corporate career is no longer a guaranteed path to stability, but has instead become a variable cost subject to the rapid growth of automated systems. Shreyasee Majumder, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Influencer sentiment regarding the recent wave of job cuts highlights a growing suspicion of corporate narratives, with many observers labeling the trend as AI washing. For the broader market, this represents a disruptive shift where investors now reward smaller workforces as a symbol of innovation, which pressures even stable organizations to automate roles before the technology is fully ready.” Structural shift toward lean design Influencers are of the opinion that traditional corporate hierarchies are becoming obsolete burdens that hinder rapid decision making. Many organizations are aggressively flattening their structures by removing middle management and replacing manual coordination with autonomous software agents. This shift signifies a permanent rotation of capital where money previously spent on human capital is now being diverted to fund massive data center and computing infrastructure. “We’re already seeing that the intelligence tools we’re creating and using, paired with smaller and flatter teams, are enabling a new way of working which fundamentally changes what it means to build and run a company. and that’s accelerating rapidly….” – Chandra R. Srikanth, Executive Editor at Moneycontrol.com Industry impact and the consumption crisis Influencers are highlighting a systemic “AI Layoff Trap” where corporations risk bankrupting their own future by automating away the purchasing […]

Astrolight wins Startup World Cup regional, heading to Silicon Valley to compete for $1M investment

Astrolight was announced as the winner of the Lithuanian regional competition for the Startup World Cup. Source: Astrolight. Astrolight will compete in the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco as laser communication becomes a core technology for next-generation satellite networks. Vilnius, Lithuania. Astrolight, a Lithuanian space and defense company developing laser communication solutions for space, ground, and maritime applications, has won the Lithuanian regional competition of the Startup World Cup, the world’s leading startup pitch contest. The company will head to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco on November 6, 2026, and compete with finalists from around the world for the title of global champion and a US$1 million investment prize. Earlier, Astrolight secured contracts and partnerships with the European Space Agency (ESA), industry primes, and leading satellite manufacturers. The company has launched three of its ATLAS-1 laser terminals into orbit for testing, joined a Kepler Communications-led team developing ESA’s HydRON optical multi-orbit transport network, and is working with ESA to build the first Arctic optical ground station in Greenland. “Representing Lithuania at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale is an important milestone for Astrolight as we enter our next stage of growth,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “Laser communication is becoming critical for the space economy, and our focus on integrated systems for both space and ground gives us a strong position in a market expected to reach billions of dollars over the coming decade.” Novaspace, the leading space market research firm, projects global revenues for space laser communication terminals will reach $12.9 billion through 2035, driven by the industry’s structural shift away from radio-frequency (RF) communications as operators face mounting RF spectrum constraints: regulatory scrutiny, licensing delays, and interference bottlenecks. Similar pressure is now reaching AI infrastructure. As land-based datacenters run into limits around […]

3d rendering humanoid robot with ai text in ciucuit pattern

The next decade belongs to builders

A small set of repeatable, AI- enabled business-building plays is emerging as the fastest path to growth for industrial and energy leaders. Companies that treat venture building as a repeatable capability consistently outperform, achieving faster time to market, lower capital intensity, and higher success rates. AI is the catalyst. AI is accelerating everything from product design to model testing to customer engagement, reducing the barriers that have long made industrial innovation slow, expensive, and talent intensive. The macro environment is becoming more favourable to business creation. Higher capital costs are pushing companies toward faster payback models and recurring revenue. At the same time, valuation corrections have opened a window for strategic M&A—particularly acqui-hires, data assets, and early-stage ventures that can accelerate internal builds. Recurring-revenue models Transforming one-time sales into service offerings is shifting industrial economics as companies turn one-off equipment sales into new, service-led businesses. By bundling maintenance, analytics, and guaranteed outcomes into long-term contracts, companies can smooth cash flows while helping customers reduce downtime and risk. Demand for these models is growing. Supply chain shocks and geopolitical uncertainty have made reliability a board-level issue, and service contracts provide the resilience buyers are seeking. Investors also are rewarding recurring revenue: Companies with embedded service streams and stickier customer relationships are commanding higher valuations and attracting private equity interest. On top of that, sustainability pressures are adding momentum. Extending product life cycles and reducing waste align directly with net-zero goals, allowing manufacturers to differentiate while embedding environmental responsibility into profitable business models. For industrial incumbents, recurring-revenue models are often the fastest path for translating existing assets into new ventures. Actions to take Monetise existing strengths.Identify capabilities, such as maintenance, logistics, and analytics, that can be packaged into customer-facing service offerings. Shift to outcome-based models.Build contracts tied to uptime, efficiency, or performance […]

Rockwell Automation: State of Manufacturing Report

95% of Asia Pacific Manufacturers Say Digital Transformation is Now Essential, as AI Adoption and Cyber Risks Accelerate 2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report shows Asia Pacific manufacturers scaling AI, strengthening cyber defences and targeting measurable operational outcomes Rockwell Automation, Inc the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, has released its 11th annual “State of Smart Manufacturing” report. The global study highlights insights from more than 1,500 manufacturers across 17 countries, including dedicated insights for Asia Pacific (APAC). The 2026 report highlights the transition from early-stage adoption to broader implementation: 95% of APAC manufacturers say digital transformation is essential to their competitiveness, ahead of the 90% global average, reflecting the region’s heightened urgency. Additionally, 71% of APAC organizations plan to increase artificial intelligence (AI) use and machine learning in the next 12 months. “This year’s findings show a region accelerating execution through scaling AI, hardening cyber defences and building the workforce capabilities needed to sustain growth,” said Scott Wooldridge, Regional President, Asia Pacific, Rockwell Automation. “What stands out is both the ambition and the realism. Across the region, manufacturers understand that digital transformation is the critical operating standard.” The report highlights six key perspectives that Asian manufacturers are focused on: technology investment, internal and external challenges, data utilisation, security, the workforce, and competitiveness. Key Asia Pacific (APAC) findings include: Smart Manufacturing Technology Within the context of smart manufacturing, generative AI is emerging as a central driver of transformation. 40% of manufacturers cite its impact on workforce challenges and 39% on long-term competitiveness, positioning AI as a core foundation of modern industrial operations. Respondents also note cybersecurity platforms (37%) and generative or causal AI (32%) have delivered the highest return on investment over the past 12 months. Data and AI AI adoption continues to accelerate across the region, with 71% of manufacturers planning to increase AI and machine learning usage in the next 12 months. AI augmentation is expected to grow […]

AI, strategy, and the future of work: Oxford economist Jean-Paul Carvalho

Professor Jean-Paul Carvalho explores how AI is reshaping cognitive work, organizations, and where business leaders can capture value at scale. Jean-Paul Carvalho is a professor of political economy in the Department of Economics at the University of Oxford and director of Oxford Elevate, the department’s executive education portfolio. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, he speaks with McKinsey Partner Robin Nuttall about what makes AI different from past waves of technology and shares the latest data on its implications for the nature of work, organisations, and business leadership. Audio Robin Nuttall: How has your own interest in AI developed as the technology has advanced, and how did the topic become a part of your programs at Oxford? Jean-Paul Carvalho: I’m naturally interested in AI because technology is the main engine of economic change. This began in the 1700s, with the Industrial Revolution bringing the ability to manufacture goods cheaply and at scale. That revolution led to cars, suburbs, advertising, consumerism, and much of what we associate with modern life today. With that, most of us have lived through an unusually stable environment. That’s changing now, and it’s taken a while for people to come to grips with it. In April 2023, Pew [Research Center] did a survey1 that showed that while 62 percent of respondents believed AI would majorly disrupt the workforce, only 28 percent believed their own job would be affected. So there has been this kind of trepidation with AI; we were forced to pay attention to AI in November 2022 when ChatGPT was released, but some heads remained in the sand. If we go back further, in 2012, the transition from symbolic AI to the deep neural nets we see today was starting to happen: Driverless cars were being trialed on the roads, AlexNet was out, and software engineers […]

Lawsuit dismissed

A nine-member federal jury in Oakland, California took less than two hours to dismiss Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive Sam Altman. Crucially, the jury did not rule on the core claims of the case. These included whether OpenAI, the company behind the popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT, strayed from its founding mission and whether Altman and OpenAI’s co-founder Greg Brockman enriched themselves at the expense of a charitable purpose. It decided only that Musk had waited too long to sue in relation to his core claims about breaches of a founding contract or breach of charitable trust. A victory for Musk could have neutered OpenAI, which in turn would have probably sent shockwaves through the entire AI sector given the company’s dominant position developing the technology. Now, however, OpenAI has a clear path to take its next big step in the AI race, even though the key question at the core of the case remains unanswered: is OpenAI a nonprofit dedicated to humanity or a corporation dedicated to its shareholders? How it all started OpenAI was founded in December 2015 as a nonprofit entity – an AI research lab. Musk and a group of prominent entrepreneurs pledged US$1 billion to develop AI for the benefit of humanity, free of commercial pressure. Alongside Musk, the founding group included Altman, Brockman and computer scientist Ilya Sutskever. The organisation’s charter committed to two key principles. First, developing AI safely and for the benefit of all of humanity. Second, developing the technology openly, meaning it would be open source. This would allow others to use their underlying models, code, and research freely. This was the deal Musk says he signed up for. And OpenAI claims it continues to honour this deal even today, despite more than US$20 billion in revenue in 2025. […]

2026: Shaping industry with people, technology and sustainability

In 2026, transformation across industry is accelerating. Sustainability, digitalisation and talent development sit firmly at the top of the manufacturing agenda, reshaping how companies operate and compete. Against this backdrop, Helen Blomqvist, President of Sandvik Coromant, reflects on more than 80 years of market leadership in cutting tools, and on the forces shaping the years ahead. We build the future on the foundation of our heritage Sandvik Coromant’s position as a global leader in cutting tools and manufacturing solutions is rooted in its history, but is also firmly focused on the future. At a time when transformation ranks high across the global stage, we actively support customers worldwide, helping them navigate change and unlock new opportunities. Leadership in a shifting world requires clarity of direction without losing sight of one’s roots. Even with a strong brand and a proud history, we cannot rest on that; we need to perform for growth and efficiency today while transforming our capabilities to remain the undisputed market leader tomorrow. A key part of this approach is building a culture of learning. Psychological safety and curiosity are essential, and creating an environment where people feel safe to test new ideas is crucial. High-performing, empowered teams with a strong customer-first mindset are at the heart of how we turn strategy into action. Removing the fear of failure, combined with curiosity and a strong customer focus, is essential to moving things forward. An industry in the midst of a major shift Manufacturing is undergoing a rapid technological leap. But it’s important to recognize this as representing opportunity, rather than threat. The industry is facing a major shift, with customers at different stages of the journey. Sustainability, digitalization, sharply increasing cost pressure across the value chain and the skills gap are defining trends. This is particularly evident in […]

DEEP Manufacturing expands into Houston with large-scale additive manufacturing

DEEP Manufacturing, a specialist in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) and hybrid manufacturing solutions, is expanding its U.S. operations with the launch of a new advanced manufacturing facility in Houston, bringing large-scale additive manufacturing capability closer to customers in the energy, defence and maritime sectors. The facility launched on May 6, when visitors saw examples of DEEP Manufacturing’s printing capability, including a mock-up of a pioneering new pressure-rated vessel set to be certified to DNV standards – a world first for WAAM. Additional WAAM-produced components manufactured in carbon steel and nickel-based alloys will also be on display, demonstrating the scale and flexibility of the company’s additive manufacturing capability. The move strengthens domestic manufacturing capacity for high-integrity components at a time when global supply chains remain under pressure, enabling faster production and delivery of large, complex parts used in critical industrial infrastructure. Houston is one of the world’s leading hubs for energy, subsea and industrial engineering, making it a strategic location for advanced manufacturing technologies supporting offshore, maritime and defence supply chains. DEEP Manufacturing’s new 50,000 sq ft facility represents a major step in the company’s global expansion and forms part of a wider $10 million investment in U.S. advanced manufacturing capability planned by the end of 2026. The Houston site will house four WAAM robotic systems at launch, with additional systems planned throughout the year, including capabilities for post-processing and inspection as the facility continues to scale. The facility is already operational, with the team having completed its first prints ahead of full operational readiness in May. The company currently employs 10 staff in Houston, with plans to grow the team to around 30 by the end of the year, reflecting both the pace of expansion and increasing customer demand. Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) enables large metal components to […]

Kistler presents new software features for quality assurance in medical injection moulding

Usability meets more standardisation options in AkvisIO and ComoNeo Building on user feedback from the medical device manufacturing sector, Kistler is placing even greater emphasis on usability and standardisation options with its new software versions for quality assurance in injection molding. The ComoNeo 9.0 process monitoring software makes it possible for the first time to standardize process templates across multiple locations. At the same time, AkvisIO 9.0, the process and production management software platform from Kistler, receives an update to provide an even faster overview of key production data, simplifying data-driven troubleshooting in day-to-day manufacturing. The ComoNeo hardware also features a significantly more powerful processor that better supports AI applications such as ComoNeoPREDICT as well as analysis functions for multi-cavity injection molding. Even the most powerful software only adds value if it is used to its full potential. Accordingly, usability is one of the most important factors in determining how much value production data management software will truly offer. “The new features in AkvisIO 9.0 and ComoNeo 9.0 are based on user requests, particularly those we received from the medical technology sector. However, all users will benefit, regardless of their field,” explains Daniel Kormann, Head of Business Center Medical at Kistler. “With the improved usability and the various options for customization and standardization, our new versions are specifically designed to simplify onboarding for new users.” Centralised production data management for easy troubleshooting The first immediately visible new feature in AkvisIO 9.0 is a customizable dashboard on the platform’s Home screen. It provides production and quality managers with an instant overview of all connected ComoNeo process monitoring systems. Color-coding allows users to understand machine utilization, production quality, and current scrap rates at a glance. If an injection molding machine exceeds the defined quality limits, the platform automatically triggers an alarm. Users […]

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