Octave Survey Finds Industrial Talent Strategies In Flux
Octave’s new survey highlights industrial leaders’ struggle to retain institutional knowledge and upskill workers as AI-based tools spread across operations.
Rhea-AI Summary
Octave Intelligence (OCTV) released a global research report on how industrial organizations are managing workforce change amid retirements and AI adoption.
The survey of more than 750 industrial leaders found that about 7 in 10 organizations believe they are not retaining the knowledge that will matter most for future operations, creating risk to continuity and decision-making. While many organizations have relevant technology, 34% cited failure to upskill the workforce to use it as their biggest five-year risk. Respondents highlighted systems thinking as the top area of study for future success (36%), and 45% reported using AI-powered tools such as digital twins and behavioral analysis platforms to capture and organize critical knowledge.
Despite 47% saying core processes are recorded, nuanced know-how often remains undocumented. Frontline concerns about AI focused on safety risks from AI errors (26%), lack of trust in “unexplained decisions” (25%), and anxiety over losing expert status (21%).
Positive
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Negative
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Key Figures
- Knowledge retention gap
- 7 in 10
- Organizations said they were not retaining knowledge important to future operations
- Technology and upskilling risk
- 34%
- Cited having technology but failing to upskill the workforce as the biggest five-year risk
- Systems thinking
- 36%
- Respondents cited it as the highest-value study area for current students
- AI-powered knowledge tools
- 45%
- Respondents said they were using tools such as digital twins and behavioral analysis platforms
- Undocumented know-how
- 47%
- Respondents said core processes were recorded but nuanced know-how remained undocumented
- AI safety concerns
- 26%
- Frontline workers' concern about safety risks if AI makes an error
- AI decision transparency concerns
- 25%
- Frontline workers' concern about unexplained decisions by AI systems
- AI-related status anxiety
- 21%
- Respondents cited fear of losing expert status as a primary source of frontline AI anxiety
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
With growing retirements and AI disruption, industrial organizations are rethinking capturing institutional knowledge
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Octave Intelligence plc (Nasdaq: OCTV), a global leader in software for the world’s mission critical facilities and infrastructure, released a new research report that sheds light on how industrial organizations are navigating a rapidly changing workforce in the age of AI. The report surveyed more than 750 industrial leaders to better understand the challenges industrial organizations are facing and how these organizations are adapting to a rapidly changing workforce environment.
Octave’s survey found that widespread retirements and workforce shortages continue to present challenges to fill key roles and capture legacy expertise, all while AI is reshaping what the future workforce will look like, and the skills needed to succeed.
Some key takeaways from Octave’s research reveal that:
- As industrial organizations face a wave of retirements and workforce shortages, 7 in 10 say they are not retaining the knowledge that will matter most for future operations, creating significant risk to continuity and decision-making.
34% of organizations cite having the technology but failing to upskill the workforce to use it as the biggest risk they face over the next five years, highlighting that workforce readiness is outpacing concerns about AI adoption itself.36% of respondents cite systems thinking as the highest value area of study for current students to succeed in the future industrial environment.45% of respondents are turning to AI-powered tools such as digital twins and behavioral analysis platforms to capture, store and organize critical knowledge.47% of respondents say core processes are recorded, but the nuanced know-how remains undocumented.
“Many organizations are facing workforce challenges that illustrate the messy – but exciting – opportunity of where technology can play a transformational role in the future of operations,” said Octave Chief Product Officer Jay Allardyce, “These findings make it clear: technology alone cannot solve these problems. People and their routines are at the heart of any successful operation and tools that capture and connect institutional knowledge with operational data can have a significant impact for these facilities.”
Beyond how companies are using digital worker solutions to capture knowledge, the survey also looked at broader attitudes of frontline workers on the impact of AI in operations. The top two frontline concerns cited related to safety risks if AI makes an error (
The survey also gave clues to what industrial leaders see as the potential future worker: the hybrid industrial worker. Less a narrow technical expert and more an agile orchestrator that connects digital intelligence with physical execution.
The respondents emphasized that future workers will depend on big-picture skills to be successful future workers. Skills including systems thinking and communications ranked highest and most valuable for future workers, while technical skills, such as engineering and data science ranked last.
Survey methodology
The survey was conducted among a sample of 756 respondents across North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Respondents were technology decision makers for organizations with
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Investors: Elizabeth Chwalk, VP, Investor Relations, Octave +1 401 749 - 0278, elizabeth.chwalk@octave.com
Media: media@octave.com
About Octave:
Octave provides mission-critical software that empowers organizations to make informed decisions across every stage of the asset lifecycle — Design, Build, Operate and Protect — where performance, safety, and reliability are non-negotiable and failure is not an option.
Turning complex operational data into actionable intelligence, Octave connects expertise, real-world conditions and enterprise-scale insight to improve performance, resilience and incident response where it matters most.
Octave has approximately 7,200 employees in 45 countries. Learn more at octave.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
How do industrial leaders describe the future “hybrid industrial worker”?
The survey describes the future worker as a hybrid industrial worker, less a narrow technical expert and more an agile orchestrator who connects digital intelligence with physical execution. Respondents emphasized big-picture skills such as systems thinking and communications as the most valuable for future workers, while technical skills like engineering and data science ranked last among the options listed.
What are frontline workers’ main concerns about AI in operations?
The two top frontline concerns were safety risks if AI makes an error (26%) and a lack of trust in AI systems’ “unexplained decisions” (25%). Additionally, 21% of respondents said frontline AI anxiety primarily stems from fear of losing their status as experts within the organization.
Who participated in Octave’s survey and over what period was data collected?
The survey included 756 technology decision makers from organizations with more than $1 billion in revenue that operate industrial facilities in manufacturing, oil and gas, chemical, power and pharmaceutical industries. Respondents were based in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Data was collected between April 14 and May 1, 2026.