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AI's little guys are getting into the Washington influence game. Tech giants and defense contractors have long dominated AI lobbying, seeking both money and favorable rules. And while the largest companies still dominate the debate, pending legislation in Congress aimed at getting ahead of China on innovation, along with proposed bills on data privacy, have caused a spike in lobbying by smaller AI players. A number of companies focused on robotics, drones and self-driving cars are all setting up their own Washington influence machines, positioning them to shape the future of AI policy to their liking. A lot of it is spurred by one major piece of legislation: The Bipartisan Innovation Act, commonly referred to as USICA -- an acronym for its previous title, and its goal to out-innovate China.

Smart factories are no longer the future. In 2018, when the World Economic Forum (WEF) first began its global lighthouse network, there were just 16 flagship smart factories around the world. Today, four years later, the number of flagship industrial factories is 103. What's even more striking than numbers, however, is the growing catalogue of intelligence-driven, efficiency-boosting and robot-friendly technologies that are spreading further across the value chain. These technologies are getting traction in sectors as far and wide as consumer packaged goods, process industries, pharmaceutical products, and advanced industries including electronics, industrial machinery and automotive.