Manufacturing industry faces AI integration and supply chain shifts

OpenText has announced its OpenText World 2026 conference, scheduled for October 19–22 in Orlando. The event will feature a specific focus on the manufacturing industry, addressing challenges such as fragmented supply chains and isolated AI pilots. A new Industry Advisory Board for manufacturing will be introduced to facilitate discussions among senior leaders regarding innovation and industry trends.

Separately, the drone manufacturing sector is facing significant shifts in battery component requirements. Due to upcoming regulatory changes, including the sunsetting of the FCC’s domestic-end-product exemption on January 1, 2028, and procurement bans on certain Chinese cell makers for defense customers, manufacturers are being urged to redesign battery packs. Experts suggest that drone OEMs should move toward designing their own packs using allied cells to ensure supply chain resilience and compliance.