Executive Panel: The Pacesetters' Imperative: Software-Defined Automation Unlocking Physical Intelligence

Colin Masson, ARC Advisory Group's Director of Research for Industrial AI, hosts a distinguished panel featuring leaders from pioneering industrial end-customers and a compelling mix of leading technology providers. This executive keynote will chart the rapid and transformative evolution of Smart Manufacturing into a new era of AI. We will explore the journey from leveraging robust Industrial Data Fabric foundations, embracing sophisticated context engineering, and implementing the orchestration of AI Agents within the paradigm of Software-Defined Automation. This strategic approach to automation, which focuses on the orchestration and deployment of control and automation logic in software, is enabling leading organizations—the pacesetters of 2025 and 2026—to unlock new realms of Physical Intelligence across their operations, driving unprecedented productivity and resilience. The panel will provide candid, real-world insights, cutting through the hype to reveal the strategies and overcome challenges faced by those at the forefront of the Industrial AI revolution.