A coalition of leading technology providers and manufacturers unites to enable scalable, interoperable industrial data and application ecosystems
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, April 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — CESMII – The Smart Manufacturing Institute today announced the beta launch of the Industrial Information Interoperability eXchange (i3X™), an open, standards-based API designed to enable seamless interoperability across manufacturing systems, platforms and applications. Manufacturers today face a common challenge: fragmented OT and IT systems that trap data in silos, constraining productivity, innovation and visibility across operations. These limitations slow AI adoption, and hinder improvements in efficiency, quality, supply chain resilience and labor productivity initiatives. i3X addresses this by introducing a new architectural model for manufacturing systems – one built on open, interoperable data and application portability.
Developed in collaboration with a growing ecosystem of industry leaders, i3X establishes a common interface for accessing manufacturing data, models and relationships, laying the foundation for scalable digital transformation and AI adoption. By standardizing how applications discover, access, and interact with manufacturing data, i3X enables interoperability by design—allowing applications to operate seamlessly across any compliant system.
“Interoperability is no longer optional. It is the foundation for scalable AI and the future of manufacturing,” said John Dyck, CEO of CESMII. “i3X establishes a common interface for manufacturing systems, enabling applications to scale across systems and dramatically accelerating innovation, AI adoption, and economic impact across manufacturing operations and supply chains.”
Manufacturers are excited to see significant i3X adoption by this community. “We see interoperability as a long term strategic imperative across our complex technology landscape at Georgia Pacific,” says Anthony Huffman, VP of IT – Digital Manufacturing at Georgia-Pacific. “We’re excited about how i3X can accelerate innovation and solutioning of our digital/AI transformation strategy at scale.”
A Global Ecosystem Driving Interoperability
The i3X initiative is supported by a diverse and growing coalition of technology providers, system integrators and industrial innovators, including leading cloud platforms, industrial automation providers, system integrators, and a growing wave of innovative industrial software startups. This ecosystem represents a significant cross-section of the industrial technology landscape, signaling broad alignment around open, interoperable architectures.
Enabling Scalable AI and Digital Transformation
i3X is designed to meet the growing demand for scalable AI and advanced analytics by providing consistent, contextualized access to operational data. Without interoperable data foundations, AI in manufacturing remains fragmented, pilot-bound, and difficult to scale.
“The promise of AI in manufacturing depends on the quality and consistency of underlying data,” said Jonathan Wise, Chief Technology Architect at CESMII. “i3X provides the connective tissue that allows data to move seamlessly across systems, enabling organizations to scale from isolated pilots to enterprise-wide deployment of AI-driven solutions.”
With a 1.0 specification expected in June, early adopters are already validating the value of interoperability in accelerating performance and innovation.
“Manufacturing is at an inflection point. Closed systems can’t keep up with the pace of innovation required for AI-driven operations,” said Matthew Parris, Director, Manufacturing Test Systems for Industry 4.0 at GE Appliances. “We see interoperability as essential to unlocking the next generation of smart factories. That’s why efforts like i3X matter: they create a shared foundation where data, applications, and partners can work together seamlessly to accelerate innovation across the entire ecosystem.”
A Foundation for Innovation in Manufacturing
i3X builds on years of CESMII-led R&D and industry collaboration, aligned to its three Smart Manufacturing Imperatives, including standardized information models (SM Profiles/OPC UA Information Models) and modern data architecture strategies. Together, these capabilities form the foundation for interoperable, scalable manufacturing systems.
By lowering barriers to integration and enabling application portability, i3X is expected to:
• Accelerate Smart Manufacturing adoption
• Reduce integration cost and architectural complexity
• Accelerate deployment of analytics and AI
• Strengthen manufacturing competitiveness
Learn more about i3X: Industrial Information Interoperability eXchange – from CESMII
About CESMII
CESMII – the Smart Manufacturing Institute – has a total current investment commitment of $201M from Department of Energy funding and public/private partnership contributions, with a mandate to create a more competitive manufacturing environment in the US through advanced sensing, analytics, modeling, control, and platforms. CESMII is one of 17 Manufacturing USA institutes on this mission to increase manufacturing productivity, global competitiveness, and reinvestment by increasing energy productivity, improving economic performance and raising workforce capacity. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is the program and administrative home of CESMII. For more information about CESMII, its history and Smart Manufacturing, visit cesmii.org.
Jillian Kupchella
CESMII – The Smart Manufacturing Institute
+1 (440) 289-3263
[email protected]
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