Amid skepticism by shop floor workers, artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in manufacturing can hinge on the attitudes and readiness of frontline manufacturing leaders, according to a study from PwC and the Manufacturing Institute—the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

According to the new survey data, nearly half (48%) of respondents rated their frontline leaders as very or extremely effective in shaping the experience of frontline workers. Yet that effectiveness has not translated to AI readiness. When asked about frontline leaders’ readiness to lead AI-driven change, 54% of respondents reported low or very low confidence.

Another hurdle revealed by the survey was that 45% of frontline leaders report being skeptical of AI—even as 50% express excitement. And frontline workers have even more reservations, with 62% viewed as skeptical and just 24% described as excited.

That divergence can have long-term implications for AI adoption. But researchers offered strategies to overcome the issue, saying that offering meaningful training and treating AI as a primary capability with demonstrable benefits can reduce skepticism and resistance to AI implementation. The survey supports that with the statistics that 45% of leaders attribute unsuccessful AI initiatives to excluding frontline leaders from the design or rollout process.

The findings come from “Frontline Leadership in Manufacturing AI Adoption,” a study which surveyed over 100 manufacturing leaders across operations, human resources, and executive roles in the third quarter of 2025 about AI adoption.

“As AI becomes more important to manufacturing, leaders need to offer additional training so that workers are equipped to utilize AI on the shop floor,” Manufacturing Institute Chief Program Officer Gardner Carrick said in a release. “The survey shows manufacturing leaders the opportunities they have to get this right. Real training, upskilling and hands-on experience will demonstrate to employees the benefits that will come with proper AI integration.”