AI, metrology and smart manufacturing AI in Metrology 2026: Where Machine Learning Helps Measurement and Where Traceability Still Matters Updated: 13 September 2026 Short answer: AI and machine learning are becoming more useful in smart manufacturing for sensing, prediction, inspection, process monitoring, digital twins and data analysis. But AI does not remove the need for traceable measurements, validated methods, measurement uncertainty, suitable reference data or competent technical review. NIST's 2026 smart-manufacturing roadmap identifies trustworthy, explainable and reliable AI as a major industrial need, while its Augmented Intelligence for Manufacturing Systems work explicitly combines metrology and physics-based models with AI. Artificial intelligence is moving rapidly into manufacturing. Cameras classify defects. Models predict machine health. Software searches production data for patterns. Digital twins use live signals to estimate ...