What Actually Happened
The International Society of Automation - the global authority on industrial automation standards - released what they're calling a "forward-looking perspective" on November 13, 2025. But reading between the lines, the 68-page position paper is actually a comprehensive blueprint for eliminating human workers from industrial environments while maintaining safety protocols.
The document outlines specific pathways for implementing AI systems in manufacturing, process control, and industrial operations. It covers everything from predictive maintenance algorithms that can identify equipment failures before they occur, to autonomous quality control systems that can spot defects better than human inspectors, to AI-driven process optimization that continuously adjusts operations without human intervention.
The timing isn't coincidental. With manufacturing facing severe labor shortages and rising wage costs, the ISA's guidelines arrive just as companies are desperately seeking justification for large-scale automation deployments. The paper provides that justification wrapped in the comfortable language of "safety standards" and "best practices."
The Standards That End Jobs
The ISA paper breaks down industrial AI implementation into five key areas, each representing a different category of human worker that can be systematically replaced:
Predictive Maintenance
AI systems that monitor equipment health and predict failures, eliminating the need for human maintenance technicians and inspectors. Expected to reduce maintenance workforce by 60-70%.
Process Optimization
Autonomous systems that continuously adjust manufacturing processes for optimal efficiency, replacing process engineers and control room operators. 24/7 operation with no breaks or shifts.
Quality Control
Computer vision systems that inspect products with greater accuracy than human eyes, processing thousands of items per minute. Human quality inspectors become obsolete overnight.
Safety Monitoring
AI-powered safety systems that monitor industrial environments continuously, detecting hazards faster than human safety officers. Ironically, removes humans from safety roles to "protect" them.
Supply Chain Coordination
Automated systems that manage inventory, scheduling, and logistics without human intervention. Eliminates planning, procurement, and coordination roles across the supply chain.
Autonomous Operations
Fully automated production lines that can operate independently for extended periods, requiring minimal human oversight. The final step toward lights-out manufacturing.
Why This Matters to Your Job
The ISA carries enormous influence in industrial automation. When they publish standards and guidelines, companies listen - and more importantly, insurance companies, regulatory bodies, and investors take notice. This position paper essentially gives manufacturers permission to pursue aggressive automation strategies while claiming they're following "industry best practices."
The document's focus on "safe implementation" provides legal cover for companies looking to reduce their workforce. Instead of admitting they're cutting jobs to reduce costs, companies can now claim they're "implementing ISA-recommended safety standards" that happen to require fewer human workers.
- Automotive Manufacturing: Assembly line workers, quality inspectors
- Chemical Processing: Process operators, control room technicians
- Food Production: Production workers, quality control staff
- Pharmaceutical: Manufacturing technicians, compliance officers
- Energy: Plant operators, maintenance crews
The Real Talk
Let's be honest about what's happening here. The ISA isn't developing these standards out of pure technical interest - they're responding to intense industry pressure to provide frameworks that justify mass automation. Manufacturing companies want to eliminate human workers but need respected authorities to provide cover for their decisions.
The document repeatedly emphasizes "human-AI collaboration" and "augmentation," but the actual technical specifications describe systems designed to operate autonomously. The collaboration they're talking about is temporary - a transition period while companies gradually reduce human involvement.
The paper's emphasis on "risk reduction" is particularly telling. The biggest risk they're addressing isn't equipment failure or safety incidents - it's the risk of depending on human workers who demand wages, benefits, sick days, and job security. From a corporate perspective, humans are the risk that needs to be managed out of the system.
For manufacturing workers, this position paper represents a significant escalation in the automation threat. It's no longer a question of whether AI will replace human workers in industrial settings - the ISA has just provided the detailed roadmap for how to do it "safely" and systematically.
The document concludes with recommendations for "workforce transition support," which is corporate speak for helping displaced workers find new careers outside of manufacturing. Because once these standards are implemented, there won't be manufacturing jobs for them to return to.
Source: Based on the ISA "Industrial AI and Its Impact on Automation" position paper released November 13, 2025