Investing.com - The U.S. industrial sector is accelerating investment in modernization as artificial intelligence-based systems become more accessible and cost-effective, Dot Ai (NASDAQ:DAIC) CEO Ed Nabrotzky told Investing.com exclusively.

Faced with a "mixed" economic environment marked by widespread uncertainty around issues like trade policy and geopolitical tensions, Nabrotzky said companies in the segment are prioritizing technologies that augment "visibility, flexibility, and cost competitiveness."

AI, in particular, is helping industrial firms improve their decision-making within existing workflows, he said, noting that the sector is shifting from "reactive management" to "proactive, data-driven operations."

"Where we see real, near-term value is in pairing in-process data collection with AI-driven analysis to improve efficiency, remove manual work, shorten cycle times, and surface risks earlier," Nabrotzky said.

Sweeping import tariffs, in particular, are forcing many U.S. industrial companies to rethink how they do business domestically, he flagged.

President Donald Trump has made the levies a centerpiece of his economic agenda since he began his second term in the White House early last year, arguing that they are necessary to help reshore manufacturing labor lost to places like China and Mexico -- although recent data has suggested that the boom in blue-collar jobs has not materialized.

Still, Trump's tariffs are "forcing operators to rethink sourcing models and strengthen domestic workflows," Nabrotzky said, adding that advances in AI are helping "make those shifts viable."

The comments come after Dot Ai, which provides tools like tracking devices designed to help businesses streamline their logistics processes and supply chains, went public last June via a blank-check tie-up with special purpose acquisition vehicle ShoulderUp Technology Acquisition Corp.

Along with the merger, Dot Ai said it had raised $12 million in so-called private investment in public equity (PIPE) financing to help support its strategic growth plans, including the expansion of its research and development goals. With PIPE deals, special purpose acquisition companies can raise additional funds from private investors like hedge funds and institutions in exchange for shares prior to the merger deal being completed.

Since the listing, Dot Ai has pushed to speed up its platform's capabilities in broader data collection and agentic workflows, Nabrotzky said. The company has also pursued a range of partnerships, including an agreement with sensor-making startup Wiliot to bring cutting-edge asset-intelligence technology into factories, warehouses and complex logistics networks..