Automate 2026 was a record-breaking glimpse of where automation goes next.
Every Automate offers a snapshot of the automation industry's current state. Some years introduce breakthrough technologies. Others reflect broader shifts already underway.
Automate 2026 did both.
Over four days at Chicago's McCormick Place, more than 50,000 automation professionals explored more than 1,200 exhibitor booths. They packed keynote sessions before the exhibit halls opened each morning and experienced hundreds of live demonstrations spanning robotics, AI, vision, motion control, software, and industrial automation.
The scale was impressive, but the more important thing is what they came to see.
Across nearly every aisle, conversation, and keynote, one theme kept emerging: automation is becoming more intelligent, more adaptable, and more accessible than ever before. Artificial intelligence is reshaping robotics. Software is simplifying deployment. And technologies that felt experimental only a few years ago are finding practical applications on today's factory floors.
If you joined us in Chicago, this is your opportunity to relive the week's biggest moments. If you couldn't attend, here's what Automate 2026 revealed.
What Automate 2026 revealed about the future of automation
Rather than introducing one breakthrough technology, Automate revealed several trends converging at once. Together, they painted a picture of where industrial automation is headed next.
1. Intelligence is becoming the new benchmark
One of the clearest themes throughout the week was the industry's evolution from simply automating repetitive tasks to building systems that can understand, adapt, and make decisions.
For decades, automation has been measured by speed, precision, and repeatability. Today, manufacturers are looking for something more.
Across the industry, the focus is shifting toward systems that can interpret their surroundings, adapt to changing conditions, and make better decisions with less human intervention. Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role as the technology that helps automation become more flexible and responsive.
"Traditional automation tackles the easiest 1% of repetitive, predictable tasks, while AI-native robots are beginning to tackle work that's too varied, too random, or too chaotic.” - Evan Beard, Standard Bots
2. Flexibility is replacing fixed automation
Manufacturing has become more dynamic. Product mixes change more frequently. Labor shortages continue to be a challenge. Customer expectations keep evolving.
As a result, manufacturers are investing in automation that can adapt to their operations rather than remaining dedicated to a single process for years at a time.
Solutions that reduce changeover time, simplify programming, and accommodate greater variability are becoming just as important as throughput and cycle time.
3. Software is accelerating adoption
Automation is no longer defined only by hardware.
Software increasingly determines how quickly systems can be programmed, deployed, integrated, monitored, and optimized. Digital twins, AI-assisted programming, simulation, and fleet management platforms are reducing complexity while helping manufacturers get more from existing equipment.
For companies that have historically viewed automation as too complex or too expensive, that shift may be one of the most significant developments on display this year.
Read more about why open, software-defined automation is gaining speed.
4. New technologies complement proven solutions
The excitement surrounding humanoid robots and physical AI reflected a broader industry trend: expanding the reach of traditional technologies, not necessarily replacing them altogether.
Industrial robots remain unmatched for many high-speed, repeatable manufacturing tasks. Emerging technologies are extending automation into environments and applications that have historically been difficult to automate, creating new opportunities instead of replacing existing ones.
5. Automation continues to reach new industries
Automotive manufacturing remains foundational to industrial robotics, but it no longer defines the industry's boundaries.
Throughout the week, attendees explored applications spanning healthcare, life sciences, logistics, food and beverage, aerospace, electronics, warehousing, construction, energy, and consumer products.
The conversations reflected that diversity.
Along with discussing robots, companies were discussing labor shortages, quality control, traceability, supply chain resilience, and how automation can solve problems unique to their industries.
Automation’s expansion is due in part because more industries have problems that automation can now solve.
This growth is partly why Automate 2027 is headed to Las Vegas, under the theme of Automation Amplified. We expect more industries to join the conversations. Registration is already open.
Mornings started with standing-room-only keynotes
One of the week's most memorable sights appeared before the exhibit halls even opened.
Every morning, attendees filled the keynote theater early enough that standing-room-only crowds became the norm. That energy set the tone for the day.
In Monday's keynote panel, Robert Huschka, vice president of Education Strategies at the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the producers of Automate, hosted executives from across the automation industry: Andre Marino, SVP, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric; Mike Cicco, president and CEO, FANUC America; Matt Moschner, president and CEO, Cognex; and Wendy Tan White, CEO, Intrinsic.
"The risk of under-investment and lagging behind is way higher than over-investment. You can't lead from imitation anymore." - Andre Marino, Schneider Electric
Rather than focusing on individual products, the conversation examined the broader forces transforming manufacturing: manufacturing competitiveness, workforce development, reshoring, and the investments shaping the next generation of industrial technology.
Tuesday shifted toward software and digital engineering. Annemarie Breu, senior director of Automation Software Deployment & Incubation, and Chris Stevens, president of U.S. Automation, Siemens Digital Industries, explored how artificial intelligence, connected systems, and digital twins are changing the way factories are designed, optimized, and operated.
“You used to have to justify automation with productivity gains and quality metrics; now it's justified because lines are shutting down due to labor shortages.” - Chris Stevens, Siemens Digital Industries
Wednesday delivered one of the most talked-about sessions of the show. In this session, Standard Bots co-founder and CEO Evan Beard challenged the audience to rethink how robots learn. Instead of painstakingly programming every movement, it laid out a future in which robots acquire new skills through demonstration, dramatically expanding the range of tasks that can be automated. That message echoed throughout the exhibit halls, where physical AI had become one of the show's dominant themes.
“There’s never been a more exciting time to build robots. It’s also never been more vital to our future, as an industry and as a country.” - Evan Beard, Standard Bots
The week concluded with NFL Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher and play-by-play announcer Jeff Joniak. While their keynote stepped away from robotics, it reinforced something equally important: technology alone doesn't transform organizations. Success still depends on leadership, preparation, resilience, and teams willing to embrace change.
“I wondered what football had to do with automation. Turns out a lot. Performing under pressure requires similar qualities on the factory floor as it does on the football field.” - Attendee
If you missed these sessions or would like to watch them again, they are available here.
The show floor: where the future became tangible
If the keynote stage set the direction for the industry, the show floor demonstrated how quickly that direction is becoming reality.
Across two large exhibit halls at McCormick Place, hands-on demonstrations made big-picture conversations a reality. Attendees compared technologies, asked technical questions, and saw how new solutions can perform in real manufacturing environments.
Conversations started at one booth and continued three aisles later as attendees connected ideas across technologies. There was no single attraction that defined Automate 2026. Instead, the week unfolded as a series of discoveries.
Humanoid robotics stopped people in their tracks
Throughout the week, certain exhibits consistently drew crowds.
The NVIDIA-sponsored Humanoid Robot Pavilion quickly became one of the week's most talked-about destinations.
Visitors often waited several rows deep to watch demonstrations, compare platforms, and ask questions about where these systems fit into real manufacturing environments. Rather than showcasing a single vision of the future, the pavilion highlighted a range of approaches, each tackling the challenge of building robots that can work safely and effectively in spaces designed for people.
The conversations surrounding the pavilion were just as compelling as the demonstrations themselves.
Simultaneously, in the Humanoid Robot Forum, attendees delved deeper into conversations about practical reality: implementation, return on investment, and most importantly, safety.
It marked an important shift in the industry's thinking from a futuristic possibility to something that could be practical and beneficial in the near term.
Elsewhere on the show floor, autonomous mobile robots navigated busy spaces, collaborative robots demonstrated welding and assembly, machine vision systems inspected parts in real time, and AI-powered software transformed complex programming tasks into intuitive workflows.
Every aisle offered another application
One of the most rewarding aspects of walking the show floor was discovering just how broadly automation is being applied.
One aisle featured collaborative robots performing precision welding and assembly. Around the corner, autonomous mobile robots navigated dynamic environments with ease. Machine vision systems inspected parts in real time while AI-powered software simplified robot programming, simulation, and deployment. Nearby, manufacturers explored digital twins, industrial PCs, intelligent sensors, and connected software platforms designed to optimize entire production systems.
Rather than showcasing isolated technologies, exhibitors demonstrated complete automation ecosystems working together. Visitors could see how robotics, vision, software, AI, and motion control increasingly complement one another to solve complex manufacturing challenges.
It reinforced one of the week's biggest takeaways: the future of automation won't be built around a single breakthrough technology. It will be built through the integration of many technologies working together.
Established leaders and emerging innovators shared the spotlight
One of the unique aspects of Automate is the ability to move seamlessly between established industry leaders and emerging innovators. Walking the floor made one thing clear: innovation is happening throughout the automation ecosystem.
Global companies, including ABB, FANUC America, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Universal Robots, and Cognex, demonstrated the latest advancements in robotics, motion control, machine vision, software, and industrial AI.
At the same time, newer companies introduced fresh approaches to robot programming, perception, mobility, and intelligent automation. That combination gave attendees a unique opportunity to evaluate both proven technologies and emerging solutions within the same visit.
For manufacturers planning future investments, seeing these technologies together often reveals opportunities that may not have been obvious when evaluating vendors individually.
The best conversations happened between the booths
While the technology attracted attention, the conversations often became the most valuable part of the experience.
Manufacturers asked how new solutions could integrate with existing equipment. System integrators compared approaches to deployment. Engineers debated implementation strategies. Students explored career opportunities. Technology providers met potential customers, partners, and collaborators.
Those conversations reflected the practical mindset that defined Automate 2026, and something difficult to recreate online. Rather than asking whether automation works, manufacturers were asking how quickly they could implement it, how it would integrate with existing equipment, and where it could deliver the greatest impact first.
The net? Automate is where ideas are tested, assumptions are challenged, and relationships begin.
Looking beyond individual technologies
Perhaps the biggest advantage of experiencing Automate in person is the perspective it provides.
Instead of evaluating one product in isolation, attendees could see how robotics, vision, AI, software, sensors, motion control, and autonomous systems increasingly work together.
That broader view helps explain why so many visitors leave with more than product information. They leave with a better understanding of how manufacturing itself is evolving and where their own organizations fit within that transformation.
Long after the exhibits are packed away, those ideas and conversations continue shaping automation projects throughout the year.
Innovation Awards and Startup Challenge: A glimpse of what's next
Every year, Automate shines a spotlight on the technologies and companies pushing the industry forward. In 2026, the Innovation Awards and Startup Challenge once again highlighted how quickly automation continues to evolve.
This year's finalists reflected many of the same themes seen throughout the show floor. Artificial intelligence was deeply integrated into robotics and machine vision. Software played an increasingly important role in simplifying deployment and improving flexibility. New sensing technologies, intelligent motion control, and advanced automation systems demonstrated how innovation is happening across every layer of the manufacturing ecosystem.
The Startup Challenge reinforced another important trend: some of the industry's most exciting ideas are coming from younger companies bringing fresh perspectives to long-standing manufacturing challenges.
Rather than competing with established automation providers, many startups are developing technologies that complement existing systems. They’re helping manufacturers deploy automation faster, improve productivity, and unlock new capabilities without replacing the equipment they already rely on.
Taken together, the Innovation Awards and Startup Challenge offered more than a look at promising new products. They provided a glimpse into where industrial automation is headed over the next several years. See a recap of finalists and award winners here.
Five conversations everyone was having
Every Automate generates hundreds of product announcements and technology demonstrations. Just as interesting are the conversations that emerge between attendees as they walk the show floor.
This year, a few themes surfaced again and again.
"Where should we start with AI?"
Manufacturers have largely moved beyond asking whether AI has a role in industrial automation. The discussion has shifted toward identifying the highest-value applications, from inspection and quality control to robot programming, predictive maintenance, and intelligent material handling.
"How quickly can we deploy this?"
Speed of implementation has become a competitive advantage in its own right. Many attendees were looking for solutions that reduce integration time, simplify programming, and begin delivering value sooner.
"Will it work with what we already have?"
Interoperability remains a major priority. Manufacturers increasingly want automation that integrates with existing equipment and software rather than requiring complete replacement of legacy systems.
"Can we find people to support it?"
Workforce challenges remain one of the biggest drivers of automation investment. Across industries, companies discussed how intelligent automation can help experienced employees focus on higher-value work while improving consistency and productivity.
"What's practical today, and what's coming next?"
Perhaps the most interesting conversations balanced excitement with realism. Attendees weren't simply chasing futuristic concepts. They wanted to understand which technologies are ready for deployment today, which are approaching commercial maturity, and how to prepare for the next wave of innovation.
That blend of curiosity and practicality has long defined Automate, and it was especially evident in 2026.
Automate 2026 by the numbers
The numbers tell only part of the story, but they reflect the remarkable momentum behind the automation industry.
- 50,000+ attendees
- 1,200+ exhibitors
- 300+ expert speakers
- 1,600+ conference attendees
- Hundreds of live technology demonstrations
- Four days of education, networking, and innovation
- Thousands of conversations shaping the future of manufacturing
Beyond the statistics, Automate brought together manufacturers, technology providers, system integrators, researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, and students from around the world. This is creating one of the industry's most valuable opportunities to learn, collaborate, and discover what's next.
Missed a session? Catch up with Automate REWIND
One of the biggest advantages of Automate doesn't end when the show closes.
Whether you want to revisit a keynote, watch an expert interview, or dive deeper into the technologies that generated the most excitement, Automate REWIND makes many of the week's biggest moments available on demand.
Explore keynote presentations, conversations with industry leaders, product demonstrations, and exclusive interviews that capture the energy and insights from the show floor.
Whether you attended every day or couldn't make the trip to Chicago, there’s a lot here for you to dive into.
What Automate 2026 tells us about Automate 2027
Every Automate builds on the momentum of the one before it.
If 2026 demonstrated anything, it's that automation is accelerating — not only in the pace of innovation, but in the number of industries embracing it and the range of problems it's solving.
Artificial intelligence is making robots more adaptable. Software is simplifying deployment. Machine vision continues expanding what automation can accomplish. And technologies that once felt experimental are steadily becoming practical tools for manufacturers.
That evolution also explains the theme for Automate 2027: Automation Amplified.
When Automate heads to Las Vegas next year, attendees will once again come together to explore the technologies, partnerships, and ideas shaping the future of automation.
Based on what we witnessed in Chicago, that future is arriving faster than ever.
The next chapter is already underway. Register today, and mark your calendar for Automate 2027, May 10-13, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
We look forward to continuing the conversation.
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