What does Magic Johnson and a twenty foot robot have in common? You guessed it, Automate 2017. While this might seem like an odd pairing, it accurately reflects the current state of the robotics industry. Already 2017 is on pace to beat last year's $19 billion investment record, with the recent announcements of Intel's $15B purchase of Mobileye; ABB's $2B acquisition of Bernecker & Rainer; and Ford's $1B investment in Argo AI. The excitement inside Chicago's McCormick Center on Wednesday was palpable, as Automate 2017 brought together not just established industrial leaders but also innovative startups at The Launchpad Competition.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The North American automation industry has set new records to begin 2016, according to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the industry's trade group. The advent of more automation in North American manufacturing promises increased efficiencies in production and the ability to compete globally. A3, whose mission is to advocate and promote automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done, tracks the robotics, machine vision and motion control markets for its three daughter associations, Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA - Advancing Vision Imaging, and Motion Control & Motor Association (MCMA). A3 is at its highest membership level ever, welcoming 119 new member companies year to date. A3, with its daughter organizations, now represents 965 member companies directly involved with robotics, vision, motion control and motors.