Manufacturers' AI adoption hampered by data integration gaps

A study of 100 senior industrial manufacturers, dubbed “The PXM Gap,” found that only 7% describe product information flowing fully integrated across systems, while the remaining 93% rely on manual processes. Although 68% have a product information management (PIM) system and 58% a digital asset management (DAM) system, most data remains fragmented, limiting AI initiatives. Nearly 80% of respondents have an AI strategy, but top use cases—such as structuring data for AI tools, AI‑assisted product discovery, and automated content syndication—require accurate, well‑connected product data.

A Forrester Total Economic Impact study commissioned by Microsoft shows that Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can deliver a 209% return on investment over three years for discrete manufacturers, with a net present value of $464,000 and payback in under six months. The ROI stems from finance automation, consolidation of legacy systems, improved reporting, and greater operational visibility, addressing common pain points such as spreadsheet‑based bill‑of‑materials, inventory mismatches, delayed financial closes, and lack of real‑time capacity insight.