Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are helping companies make the factory of the future a reality by harnessing the power of machine vision, connected devices, and real-time insights. Designing and implementing smart factories requires the ability for manufacturers to optimize production while, at the same time, understanding how and where human workers are needed in order to maximize automation processes. Machine vision and robotics are already part of the fabric of most advanced manufacturing operations. Automated systems do everything from perform assembly tasks to inspect finished products as part of quality assurance measures. But now, AI-powered machine vision systems can operate autonomously.