Industrial automation trends mid-2026: AI, safety, cobots

Industrial automation is advancing with AI-driven picking systems that reduce hardware customisation, humanoid robots built on standard industrial communication protocols, and a growing emphasis on security and safety certifications like ISO 27001 and SIL 2 as key purchasing criteria.

This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Industrial Automation. Wire is Fusion42's founder-focused intelligence feed: each story is connected to the funds and startups it names — every one with a live profile on Raise or Scout — so founders can follow the capital and the momentum behind the headline rather than just the headline itself. Wire analysis is one of the live surfaces Arthur reasons over.