Tomorrow's factories today Smart factories or Intelligent manufacturing is the utilization of real-time data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning in the manufacturing process to accomplish the above optimizations. Using sensors on equipment to acquire and process real-time data, intelligent manufacturing allows manufacturers a complete, 360-degree high-fidelity virtual data-driven integrated view of all operations—from suppliers and supply chains, through equipment, processes, and manufacturing practices, to final product testing and customer satisfaction.