In anonymous industrial parks across the United States, a new kind of race is quietly under way – one that could redefine the future of American manufacturing.
Major companies and ambitious startups are investing billions in a dream once thought decades away: the fully automated, human-free factory.
Driven by rising labor costs, supply chain nationalism, and the accelerating power of AI and robotics, organizations like Tesla, Foxconn, and a growing list of automation startups are pushing toward a once-unimaginable goal – factories that run 24/7 with little or no human presence.
Sometimes called “lights-out” factories, or “smart” factories, such facilities have been the stuff of science fiction for many years and are now a dream that may soon become a reality.
However, even as the technological finish line comes into view, a critical reality persists: the most advanced factories still need people – just not in the ways traditional manufacturing once did.
At the frontier of making stuff
The race is being led by two distinct groups: established manufacturing titans building next-generation plants for themselves, and a fleet of stealth startups developing automation systems for broader industry adoption.
Among the major players, Tesla has long pursued its “alien dreadnought” vision, a fully automated vehicle production system. Foxconn is automating its vast facilities in Asia and cautiously attempting similar transformations in North America.
Amazon, while primarily a logistics powerhouse, is advancing robotics technology that blurs the line between warehouse and factory.
Meanwhile, automation giants like ABB, Siemens, and GE Aerospace are embedding high levels of autonomy into their own production ecosystems.
At the same time, startups like Bright Machines, Path Robotics, Vention, and Realtime Robotics are developing modular automation technologies that could allow even smaller manufacturers to build semi-autonomous production lines.
These companies aren’t necessarily building full factories themselves, but they are offering the tools that make such factories possible.
In this ecosystem, large companies are primarily building for themselves, while startups are aiming to reshape the broader industrial landscape by providing the next wave of flexible, software-driven factory infrastructure.
We have the technology
At the heart of this race is a profound shift in factory design. Traditional assembly lines are giving way to “lights-out” factories – facilities so automated that they could theoretically operate without lighting, heating, or even human oversight for extended periods.
Key technologies include:
- Industrial robotics: increasingly autonomous, able to perform complex tasks like welding, assembling, and quality inspection.
- AI-driven vision systems: enabling real-time detection of errors and defects without human intervention.
- Digital twins and simulation software: allowing entire factories to be modeled, tested, and optimized virtually before physical deployment.
- Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs): moving materials and parts inside factories without fixed tracks or operators.
- Predictive maintenance systems: using machine learning to anticipate and fix problems before they cause downtime.
While these technologies are impressive, fully lights-out manufacturing remains a monumental engineering and management challenge – and no US factory has yet achieved it at full scale.
We can rebuild it
The timing of this race is no coincidence. Several forces are converging:
- Labor shortages: The US manufacturing sector faces a chronic shortage of skilled workers, with nearly 700,000 open manufacturing jobs as of early 2025.
- Reshoring pressure: Geopolitical tensions, tariffs, and the strategic desire to secure domestic supply chains are motivating companies to bring production back to US soil.
- AI maturity: Advances in machine learning, sensor fusion, and autonomous decision-making systems have lowered the barriers to factory automation.
- Cost competitiveness: Automating manufacturing lines can, over time, offset the higher labor costs associated with operating in the US versus offshore locations.
These factors are creating a rare window of opportunity for those bold enough to build the factories of the future.
Ultra-modern times
Fully automated factories could dramatically reshape America’s industrial landscape.
For companies, the lure is clear:
- Lower operating costs over time (despite high initial investment).
- Greater resilience to labor market fluctuations.
- Improved quality control through standardized processes.
At a national level, automated manufacturing plants could help achieve the long-elusive goal of restoring America’s industrial base, making it competitive with China’s ultra-modern production hubs.
However, building these systems is expensive. Estimates for fully lights-out factories range from two to five times the upfront cost of traditional plants.
This ensures that only companies with sufficient capital, engineering expertise, and a long-term view are able to compete.
Show me the money
While fears of mass unemployment often accompany automation narratives, the reality is far more nuanced – and far more hopeful.
Even the most sophisticated lights-out factories depend on human expertise at every stage.
- Engineers must design robotic systems and simulation models.
- Technicians must maintain, repair, and calibrate equipment.
- Software developers must create, monitor, and refine factory control systems.
- Systems integrators must ensure disparate machines, robots, and software platforms work seamlessly together.
The physical burden of factory work may diminish, but the intellectual demands will rise sharply.
According to Deloitte and the National Association of Manufacturers, the US could face 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing jobs by 2030 — largely because the new roles require different skill sets than traditional production work.
Salaries in this new environment are also higher:
- Automation engineers often command salaries over $100,000.
- Robot technicians typically earn between $60,000 and $70,000.
- Industrial software developers can earn well over $120,000.
As America’s factories evolve, so too will the nature of industrial work – offering safer, cleaner, more intellectually engaging careers for those ready to adapt.
As one manufacturing executive recently put it, “We’re not getting rid of people – we’re changing what it means to build something.”
Because it’s hard
Building a fully automated factory remains extremely difficult. Many previous attempts have stumbled:
- Tesla’s first “alien dreadnought” project faced severe setbacks during Model 3 production.
- Foxconn’s heavily automated plants in China still rely on significant human labor.
- Amazon, despite tens of thousands of robots in its warehouses, still employs more than 1.5 million people globally.
Technical complexity, high costs, unpredictable breakdowns, and the need for human adaptability in complex tasks are stubborn barriers.
Most experts predict that semi-automated, human-supervised factories – not fully human-free facilities – will dominate manufacturing for at least the next 10 to 20 years.
We want to win
Today, the race to build America’s first fully automated factory remains wide open.
Tesla, Amazon, and Foxconn are among the front-runners, while a vibrant community of stealth startups is providing the digital engines that will power tomorrow’s plants.
Yet the real winners of this industrial transformation may not be the companies alone.
It will be the workers, engineers, technicians, and creators who embrace the new reality – and help design the factories that will build the next generation of American prosperity.
In the new industrial age, the future belongs not to the strongest or the fastest – but to the most adaptable.
