The modern factory is quietly yet profoundly transforming. From Gujarat’s electronics corridors to the automotive hubs of Tamil Nadu, across industrial belts in India, a new type of workforce is emerging. Powered by artificial intelligence, these employees work with relentless precision 24 hours a day.
A fresh paradigm is developing: the dark factory, as producers rush to increase resilience and react to worldwide demand with consistency and speed.
These AI-enabled facilities run 24/7 to maximise production, accuracy, and efficiency with minimal human involvement.
For India, where manufacturing is set to account for nearly a quarter of the GDP by 2025, this signals more than just a technical revolution. It shows a strategic leap forward in industrial capability.
At the core of this transformation are AI-powered robotic systems that operate continuously with minimal human intervention. These systems learn and adapt in real time, optimise workflows, and ensure that production lines remain active well beyond conventional hours. This evolution goes far beyond mechanisation; it represents a move towards self-governing ecosystems.
India installed approximately 8,500 industrial robots in 2023, an increase of nearly 59 per cent over 2022, making it one of the fastest adopters globally and ranking among the top ten nations for annual installations. This surge reflects growing automation maturity and confidence in intelligent systems.
In Indian automotive hubs, for example, AI-enabled assembly robots have dramatically reduced cycle times while ensuring uniform quality across batches.
Food processing facilities, too, are beginning to deploy intelligent vision systems that handle sorting, inspection, and packaging with greater speed and accuracy than traditional setups. These technologies not only minimise idle time but also respond dynamically to changes in demand or supply.
By reducing unplanned stoppages, AI systems enable better asset utilisation. According to a McKinsey report, smart factories can increase productivity by up to 20–30 per cent, with predictive maintenance alone cutting unplanned outages by as much as 50 per cent. Such improvements become even more significant when scaled across large industrial networks.
Intelligent automation is not solely about speed; it is also about precision, scalability, and consistency. In sectors such as electronics and pharmaceuticals, where minor variations can lead to significant product issues, AI-driven automation ensures near-zero deviation. Sensors continuously monitor performance and calibrate operations in real time, reducing the scope for human error.
Moreover, with AI integrated into the production environment, manufacturers can implement predictive maintenance strategies. Instead of reacting to breakdowns, they can forecast potential faults and resolve them before they disrupt operations. This proactive model extends the lifecycle of expensive equipment, lowers maintenance costs, and reduces the risks associated with unscheduled downtimes.
Further supporting this trend, India’s predictive maintenance market grew to US$463.5 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 20 per cent through 2033. This momentum suggests that smart manufacturing is rapidly becoming foundational to India’s Drive 4.0 ambitions.
These advancements are already enabling manufacturers to meet global delivery timelines, scale exports, and attract strategic investment, extending beyond productivity into competitiveness.
Although the concept of dark factories may suggest the absence of human involvement, the reality is more nuanced. The role of the human workforce is evolving. Workers are taking on supervisory, analytical, and programming responsibilities instead of performing dangerous or repetitive tasks.
Reskilling programs are now in progress across the nation to help with this change. Government programs like the SAMARTH Udyog Bharat 4.0 are developing forums for information exchange and industrial upskilling. Moreover, several public-private collaborations are helping workers develop the abilities needed to control and maximise AI-driven activities.
Further improving capacity and cross-value chain integration are the National Manufacturing Mission and Component Manufacturing Scheme. India’s developing smart industrial corridors and parks are being furnished with 5G coverage, improved power grid stability, and edge computing solutions to supplement financial incentives.
Moreover, India’s reskilling infrastructure is quickly developing; programs under Skill India, NSDC, and FutureSkills Prime have catered to over 25 million students. For technical jobs, the Skill India Digital Hub has reduced placement timelines by almost 30%; state universities are integrating AI, robotics, and digital twin labs into courses.
Particularly important in industries like logistics and warehouse management, where cobots (collaborative robots) collaborate with humans to speed up order fulfilment and inventory tracking, is this human-machine synergy. Instead of displacing human employment, these technologies are creating higher-value, safer, more strategic roles for the workforce.
India’s ambitions to become a global manufacturing powerhouse rest heavily on its ability to modernise its industrial base. With AI-powered systems running continuously, dark factories are becoming not only feasible but necessary to meet rising demand, optimise resource use, and achieve sustainability goals.
The benefits extend beyond economics. Continuous manufacturing can help reduce energy peaks, balance load distribution, and integrate renewable energy more effectively. In a world where efficiency and ESG metrics are gaining prominence, intelligent automation presents an opportunity for Indian industries to align operational performance with environmental responsibility.
The early signs are already visible. From Bengaluru’s precision engineering units to Pune’s automotive corridors and Tamil Nadu’s electronics clusters, AI and automation are now operational. As adoption deepens, India can unlock new models of industrial productivity that are scalable, sustainable, and globally competitive.
This transition marks more than a technological upgrade. It is the beginning of a new industrial revolution, one where intelligence, continuity, and collaboration define success.
The robot that never sleeps may be the face of the factory of tomorrow, but its true power lies in how it enables people, businesses, and nations to move forward with greater purpose. As policy support, infrastructure, and workforce readiness converge, India is not merely joining the global trend in intelligent manufacturing; it is charting a course toward leadership.
The author is the co-founder and chief operations officer of Addverb.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.
