U.S. industries are primarily in the experimental phase with public clouds. While utilities and manufacturers are leveraging distributed cloud computing within private facilities to collect and analyze data, they are not yet ready to fully transition operational technology to public clouds. Instead, their modernization efforts are focused on enhancing capabilities at the network edge.

Manufacturers and utilities are deploying hardware and software to analyze data from their respective operations. For example, utilities are analyzing data from the electric grid, while manufacturers are applying analytics to factory floor data to enhance equipment maintenance and minimize breakdowns. This data analysis is conducted on-premises, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure.

Utilities in the U.S. are hesitant to adopt public cloud solutions for grid management due to strict government regulations and concerns about cybersecurity threats. Although there is a belief that public cloud options will eventually become viable, the transition is expected to take time as organizations prioritize security and compliance.