Agentic AI moves industrial maintenance beyond simple alerts into autonomous execution. While standard predictive maintenance forecasts failures, Agentic AI coordinates the entire resolution process, querying inventory (CMMS), scheduling downtime (MES), and drafting work orders without manual intervention.
At IIoT World, we have tracked the maturity of Predictive Maintenance (PdM) from its early sensor-based roots to today’s advanced analytics. The global manufacturing community has successfully mastered the “Detect” phase. However, as our Co-Founder Lucian Fogoros frequently discusses with industry leaders, the next frontier isn’t about better detection, it’s about Autonomous Action.
The industry is now focusing on the “Detect-to-Do” gap. In traditional workflows, a predictive alert is merely a starting point for a human-led administrative chain. Agentic AI changes this by acting as an autonomous coordinator that manages the logistics of reliability.
- Defining Agency: From Assistant to Actor
Traditional AI is a Copilot; it suggests what a human should do. Agentic AI is a Coordinator; it uses digital tools to execute tasks on behalf of the human team.
In a reliability context, an agent possesses “agency”, the ability to:
- Perceive: Monitor real-time IoT data streams for anomalies.
- Reason: Evaluate the impact of a potential failure on the current production schedule.
- Act: Access the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to verify parts availability or the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to shift production to another line.
- The Infrastructure: Unified Namespace (UNS) and MCP
For Agentic AI to move from “hype” to “infrastructure,” it requires a standardized way to communicate with factory systems. Two technologies are critical:
- Unified Namespace (UNS): The centralized data architecture that allows agents to “see” the entire factory in context.
- Model Context Protocol (MCP): The standard that allows AI agents to securely interact with specialized industrial software and machines.
- Real-World Value: The Digital Maintenance Crew
Based on our recent sessions AT IIoT World Days, the value of Agentic AI lies in “Frictionless Maintenance.” When a bearing shows early wear, an Agentic system:
- Validates the alert (filtering out noise).
- Checks if the spare part is in the warehouse.
- Finds the next available maintenance window in the production plan.
- Generates a pre-filled work order for the technician.
This ensures that by the time a human enters the loop, the “logistics of the fix” are already complete.
Key Resources & Expert Insights
To dive deeper into how Agentic AI is being operationalized across the industry, explore these resources from the IIoT World archives:
Video Sessions (IIoT World YouTube):
- Agentic AI in Manufacturing: From Copilots to Autonomous Systems: Featuring insights on the shift to self-directed AI.
- Agentic AI & Integrated Data Workflows: How to extract value from existing siloed systems.
- Protocol Spotlight: How to Use Model Context Protocol to Power Your Agentic AI Strategy: Deep dive into the infrastructure of Agentic AI.
Featured Articles (IIoT World Website):
- AI Agents in Maintenance: A Complete Digital Team
- Industrial AI 2026: From Generic Tools to Trained Intelligence
- Managing the Rise of Agentic AI in Manufacturing
Contributors: This article was synthesized by Carolina Rudinschi, PhD, based on the collective insights from our global ecosystem. Special thanks to the experts who contributed their knowledge during our sessions or IIoT World contributors who published articles via our platform:
- Andrew Scheuermann, CEO, Arch Systems
- Peter Sorowka, CEO, Cybus GmbH
- Sebastian Trolli, Head of Industrial Automation & Software, Frost & Sullivan
- Madalina Ciortan, Director AI, OpsIT, AstraZeneca
- Rajkumar Mylvaganan, Head of Digital Manufacturing Platform, ZF Group
- Jonathan Wise, Chief Technology Architect, CESMII
- Vatsal Shah, CEO, Litmus
- Kevin O’Donovan, Technology Evangelist
- Rick Franzosa, moderator, IIoT World
- Raunak Bhinge , Co-CEO of Infinite Uptime
- Hamish Mackenzie, moderator IIoT World
- Miranda Moonen, the founder and CEO of GUSTY.ai
- Jan Burian, Head of Industry Insights, Trask
- Peggy Smedley, Editorial Director / President at Connected World / Specialty Publishing Co.
- Boris Scharinger, R&D Excellence, DataOps and Master Data Mgt., Siemens
- Aron Semle, CTO, HighByte
- Dr. Colin Parris, Former GE Officer and Senior Vice President/Chief Technology Officer at GE Digital