Zebra Technologies predicts rapid acceleration in AI-driven operational gains by 2026

Zebra Technologies unveils its vision for ‘intelligent operations’ in 2026, positioning AI, machine vision, and automation as key to overcoming workforce shortages and supply-chain disruptions across manufacturing, logistics, retail, and public sectors.

Zebra Technologies is positioning its portfolio of AI, machine vision, RFID and automation tools as the cornerstone for what it calls “intelligent operations”, arguing these technologies will be decisive ...

for manufacturers, logistics providers, retailers and public agencies as they confront labour shortages, supply‑chain shocks and rising customer expectations in 2026.

“The pace of change across the Asia Pacific region demands a new level of operational intelligence, and that starts with empowering the frontline,” said Eric Ananda, Country Manager Indonesia, Zebra Technologies. “Our focus is on delivering solutions that connect assets, data, and people in real time. By leveraging AI-powered automation, machine vision, and advanced analytics, organizations can overcome today’s challenges and unlock new opportunities for growth and profitability”. The remark was made in a company release outlining Zebra’s view of sector trends for 2026.

Zebra’s claims are supported by research the company commissioned and by industry activity this year. A study conducted with Oxford Economics and cited by Zebra found that automating workflows can drive roughly a 20% rise in productivity across retail, manufacturing and transportation & logistics, and that improved frontline workflows delivered a 21% productivity improvement for T&L organisations. The company also says optimising quality control could lift a manufacturer’s revenue by up to 2.4 percentage points, and estimates that top global organisations could unlock an average of US$3 billion in higher revenue and US$120 million in added profit by improving frontline workflows. The study’s findings were presented in Zebra’s investor communications.

The urgency to adopt AI is underscored by Zebra’s own market research showing only 16% of manufacturers currently have real‑time visibility into production. The Zebra study further reports a significant shift in sentiment: 61% of manufacturers now expect AI to drive growth by 2029, up from 41% in 2024, signalling rapid intent to invest in visibility, quality and automation to address staffing and operational constraints.

Manufacturing: machine vision and connected assets
Zebra argues AI‑driven machine vision and intelligent automation will be central to addressing labour gaps and reducing waste. Industry deployments highlighted by the company include machine vision for real‑time quality control and RFID for asset visibility, tools it says are essential to build resilience into manufacturing supply chains. The company also pointed to partnerships, such as its work with Tulip to combine mobile devices and composable frontline software for traceability, quality management and production tracking, which Zebra says will streamline shopfloor workflows.

Logistics: from tracking to prediction
In transport and logistics, Zebra contends the sector is moving beyond basic tracking to predictive analytics and dynamic route optimisation. The firm cites IoT device data and RFID as foundations for real‑time asset visibility for high‑value goods, and points to the 21% productivity gains its research associates with better workflows as evidence of return on investment for connected supply chains.

Warehousing and e‑commerce fulfilment
E‑commerce growth is driving innovation in warehousing, Zebra says, with AI‑powered warehouse execution systems (WES) and real‑time telemetry enabling faster, more accurate order fulfilment. The company highlighted product launches shown at industry events in 2025, including the Aurora Velocity™ scan tunnel demonstrated at ProMat 2025, and said tools such as VisibilityIQ™ Foresight, which offers predictive analytics for device uptime, reduce workflow interruptions and help organisations hit sustainability targets by cutting unnecessary travel and e‑waste.

Retail: personalisation and frontline enablement
Zebra projects that retailers will continue to deploy unified data platforms and AI to personalise experiences while streamlining operations. Self‑service technologies such as scan‑and‑go and intelligent kiosks are described as becoming mainstream, while mobile devices and RFID inventory systems are promoted as ways to tackle shrink and boost frontline productivity. The Oxford Economics collaboration cited retailer reports of a 21% improvement in customer satisfaction where workflows were modernised.

Public sector: rugged devices and interagency data
Zebra argues public agencies will accelerate digital modernisation to improve service delivery, naming public safety, field service and administration as priority areas for rugged mobile devices and real‑time data to enhance interagency collaboration and community resilience, while stressing the need to protect sensitive data.

Product launches and ecosystem moves
Beyond research, Zebra has been active in product roll‑outs and partnerships. At Automate 2025 the company showcased robotics, machine vision and RFID solutions aimed at making intelligent automation accessible and scalable for frontline operations. Zebra has described these launches as addressing throughput, accuracy and asset visibility across manufacturing and warehouse operations. The firm’s collaboration with Tulip was presented as an example of delivering a “mobile‑first” frontline experience that embeds traceability and quality management into the flow of work.

A company perspective with editorial distance
The narrative and figures presented come from Zebra and its commissioned studies; industry data cited in Zebra’s materials indicate substantial upside from better visibility and automation, but adoption gaps remain notable. According to the Zebra‑commissioned research, many manufacturers lack real‑time production visibility today, and organisations face challenges scaling technology, integrating IT and OT systems, and overcoming labour constraints, factors that will determine how quickly the asserted benefits are realised.

As vendors and buyers race to deploy AI, machine vision and RFID across frontline operations, the coming year will test whether the productivity and profitability gains quantified in vendor studies translate broadly across industries, or remain concentrated where integration, scale and skilled change management are successfully executed.

Source: Noah Wire Services