TE Connectivity plc

Annual Industrial Technology Index reveals companies are now more focused on AI's bottom-line impact than innovation goals

GALWAY, Ireland, March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Adoption rates of artificial intelligence tools at industrial technology companies have exceeded 80%, according to a new global survey from TE Connectivity, a world leader in connectors and sensors. And now, the survey data says, these companies are demanding a return on their investments as AI tools become more integrated into their operations.

For the first time in the four years TE has published the Industrial Technology Index to understand from engineers and business leaders what is driving innovation at their companies, financial returns are being prioritized over product innovation. Forty-three percent of executives said their top priority is increasing company profits, up 17 points from last year, while those who selected product innovation were down nine points to 26%. Engineers followed suit, with 31% selecting company profits (+2 points) and 24% prioritizing product innovation (-7 points).

"AI integration is increasing at companies around the world, but this year's TE Connectivity Industrial Technology Index found many are facing challenges aligning on what success looks like once it is embedded into everyday workflows," said CEO Terrence Curtin. "This year's report highlights a growing need for shared objectives between engineers and executives as AI adoption accelerates. Without that alignment, AI can introduce friction inside a business instead of advancing innovation and transforming operations. The companies making the most progress are those translating AI investment into real–world impact."

As the quest for return on investment continues, survey respondents from China, Germany, India, Japan and the United States said AI adoption continues to expand. This year, 35% said their company has adopted AI "extensively," up from 22% last year. Breaking down responses by country, the U.S. leads the way with 41% having adopted AI extensively – a 26-point increase over last year, when it was tied with Germany for the lowest percentage. The percentage of respondents in China claiming extensive adoption only went up one point to 29%, indicating they experienced an earlier spike in adoption than the U.S. Industrial Technology Index data also shows both executives and engineers – nearly half of each group – are eager to experiment with new technology like AI immediately. Globally, the survey shows that younger respondents from China are most bullish about the technology.

Data from this year's Industrial Technology Index also showcases trends around AI in sustainability, its integration into daily work, its impact on engineering talent needs and more. To read the full report, visit te.com/techindex.

About TE Connectivity

TE Connectivity plc (NYSE: TEL) is a global industrial technology leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive, and connected future. As a trusted innovation partner, our broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions enable the distribution of power, signal and data to advance next-generation transportation, energy networks, automated factories, data centers enabling artificial intelligence, and more. Our more than 90,000 employees, including 10,000 engineers, work alongside customers in approximately 130 countries. In a world that is racing ahead, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS. Learn more at www.te.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, WeChat and Instagram.

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SOURCE TE Connectivity plc

GALWAY, Ireland, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TE Connectivity, a world leader in connectors and sensors, has been named among the 2026 World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere, placing the company among the leaders defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

TE is one of only five companies representing the electronics and components industry. It is the 12th year in a row that TE has earned this recognition.

"TE has always been and remains committed to the highest ethical standards. Every day, our 90,000 employees work to secure TE's place as a trusted partner to our customers and a leader in our industry. Their commitment strengthens our culture, supports our long-term performance, and positions us to continue advancing the technologies that make the world safer, sustainable, productive and connected," said CEO Terrence Curtin.

A key part of TE's governance practices is a comprehensive training and awareness program to help all TE employees be involved in upholding the company's core values. In the past year, TE hosted more than 142,000 ethics and compliance training sessions and more than 99% of TE's employees completed the global Guide to Ethical Conduct training. Also in 2025, TE strengthened its ethics and compliance program to better align with leading practices, integrated emerging technologies into risk management and strengthened reporting channels.

The World's Most Ethical Companies assessment is grounded in Ethisphere's proprietary Ethics Quotient, which requires companies to provide 240+ documented proof points on practices that support robust ethics and compliance, including: corporate governance; program structure and resourcing; written standards; training, awareness and communication; risk assessment and auditing; investigations, enforcement, discipline and incentives; measurement of ethical culture; third-party risk management, and environmental and social impact.

"As we mark the 20th class of honorees, this group continues to raise the bar for business integrity by embedding ethics into everyday decision-making and long-term strategy. Companies with strong ethics, compliance and governance programs are built for better long-term performance," said Erica Salmon Byrne, Ethisphere's chief strategy officer and executive chair.

To learn more about TE's corporate responsibility strategy, visit te.com/responsibility.

About TE Connectivity 

TE Connectivity plc (NYSE: TEL) is a global industrial technology leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive, and connected future. As a trusted innovation partner, our broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions enable the distribution of power, signal and data to advance next-generation transportation, energy networks, automated factories, data centers enabling artificial intelligence, and more. Our more than 90,000 employees, including 10,000 engineers, work alongside customers in approximately 130 countries. In a world that is racing ahead, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS. Learn more at www.te.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, WeChat and Instagram.

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SOURCE TE Connectivity plc