An overview on the use of AI/ML in Manufacturing MSMEs: solved issues, limits, and challenges

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) represent popular topics of Industry 4.0. The use of these techniques, which are evolving rapidly in both academia and practice, can bring many benefits to production systems, such as enabling resilience and improving sustainable growth. However, given the effort needed in the implementation of AI/ML such as in terms of data quality and employee skills, the potential of AI/ML has not yet fully materialized in the context of manufacturing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which could improve their core processes or innovate product level to stay competitive, taking advantage of these technologies. This research work, methodologically based on a scoping literature review, presents an investigation of which are the existing applications of AI/ML in manufacturing MSMEs and discusses the limitations and challenges of these technologies. Moreover, the main emerging topics of research and future trends are summarized.