“Every night we lie awake and dream of making something more,” sings P.T. Barnum in “The Greatest Showman.” For manufacturers, that ambition is more than inspiration – it’s a strategic imperative. The drive to improve performance, increase efficiency, and unlock new capabilities is accelerating the adoption of industrial AI across the production landscape. At IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, that shift comes into sharper focus.
Returning Sept. 14-19, 2026, to McCormick Place in Chicago, IMTS 2026 will span more than 1.2 million square feet and feature more than 1,800 exhibitors across 10 technology sectors. The show brings together direct access to advanced manufacturing solutions, industry expertise, and decision-makers focused on operational performance and growth.
Industrial AI at IMTS 2026
Reflecting the industry’s evolving priorities, IMTS 2026 introduces two major additions: the Industrial AI Arena and the Industrial AI Conference.
The Industrial AI Arena brings together more than 25 established leaders and emerging innovators in a dedicated environment focused on applied AI. Manufacturers can evaluate solutions that address critical challenges across quality and inspection, process optimization, downtime reduction, cybersecurity, safety, and demand forecasting. The Industrial AI Arena emphasizes practical tools delivering measurable impact across the production life-cycle.
Complementing the exhibit experience, the Industrial AI Conference is a one-day, practitioner-focused program designed for implementation. The agenda outlines a framework for understanding AI, including predictive maintenance, quality applications, edge versus cloud deployment, and data readiness. Attendees will gain:
A structured approach to identifying high-value use cases and prioritizing investments
Strategies to leverage existing infrastructure and accelerate adoption
Insight into what “machine-learning-ready” data looks like in manufacturing environments
Developed in collaboration with Dr. Jay Lee and the University of Maryland’s Center for Industrial AI, the program also features sector-specific case studies and a roundtable on implementation trade-offs, with a focus on measurable impact across uptime, quality, cost, and throughput.
From Vision to Execution
Realizing the value of Industrial AI requires a deliberate approach – aligning objectives, identifying high-impact use cases, and engaging the right partners to move from exploration to implementation.
Ultimately, IMTS 2026 is about turning ambition into action. The technologies on display, particularly in applied AI and intelligent systems, are enabling manufacturers to move beyond incremental gains and begin “making something more” in measurable, scalable ways.
Conferences at IMTS 2026
Beyond the show floor, IMTS 2026 offers a comprehensive lineup of conferences and programming designed to drive insight, connection, and action.
The IMTS 2026 Conference Monday, Sept. 14 to Thursday, Sept. 17
IMTS Job Shops Workshop Tuesday, Sept. 15
IMTS Elevate Wednesday, Sept. 16
IMTS Conferencias Técnicas (Spanish-language programming) Tuesday, Sept. 15
IMTS Investor Forum Tuesday, Sept. 15
IMTS Industrial AI Conference Wednesday, Sept. 16
Industrial Laser Conference Wednesday, Sept. 16
AM+ Workshop: Medical Wednesday, Sept. 16
AM+ Workshop: Aerospace and Defense Tuesday, Sept. 15
EBITDA Growth Systems Wednesday, Sept. 16
To read the rest of the State of Automation Issue of MT Magazine, click here.
