March 2026

AIM continues to advance its mission of enabling the adoption, growth, and interoperability of AIDC technologies through active work groups, regulatory engagement, standards development, and global chapter collaboration. The following provides a high-level overview of current initiatives and activities across the AIM community.

Digital Product Passport (DPP) Task Force

Liaison | Michael Allen

The Digital Product Passport Task Force continues to monitor and engage with emerging European standards related to product traceability and lifecycle transparency. The group reviewed draft standards most relevant to AIDC technologies and submitted formal comments through the German Standards Organization (DIN). The task force is awaiting feedback before determining next steps and scheduling future discussions.

RFID Experts Group (REG)

Chair | Jerry Peyton, VISTA IT Systems

The RFID Experts Group remains highly active across multiple initiatives focused on industry education, standards awareness, and regulatory advocacy.

Key activities include:

• Monitoring regulatory developments related to the 902–928 MHz spectrum and potential impacts on RFID deployments.
• Development of a whitepaper on RFID Security and Privacy aimed at providing clear guidance to organizations evaluating RFID systems.
• Creation of educational resources explaining various wireless technologies used within the AIDC ecosystem, including BLE, NFC, and UWB, and how they complement RFID solutions.
• Updating foundational educational resources such as the RFID glossary and introductory materials.
• Collaboration with industry partners on RFID educational guidance for the retail sector.
• Finalization of additional technical documentation and identification of areas requiring updates to RFID data content standards.
• Contributing expertise to the development of an upcoming AIM Virtual RFID event, which will focus on industry trends, technology understanding, and real-world deployment considerations.

Visibility Technologies Industry Group

Chair | Dan Quagliana, Seagull

The Visibility Technologies Group continues to focus on regulatory developments, supply chain traceability, and the role of AIDC technologies in improving operational transparency.

Current initiatives include:

• Reviewing FDA draft guidance related to cosmetic product traceability under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), with the goal of developing coordinated AIM comments emphasizing how AIDC technologies support compliance and supply chain transparency.
• Revising foundational guidance on track-and-trace technologies and supply chain visibility.
• Developing visual educational materials that illustrate how different AIDC technologies work together across product lifecycles and supply chains.
• Monitoring developments related to the FCC IoT Cybersecurity Labeling Program, including forthcoming technical standards and testing requirements associated with the Cyber Trust Mark initiative.

Next meeting March 11 at 11 AM ET

Technical Symbology Committee (TSC)

Chair | Steven Keddie, GS1 GO

The Technical Symbology Committee continues to support barcode and identification standards development, interoperability, and education.

Current projects include:

• Finalizing guidance related to healthcare barcode scanner configuration, supporting proper implementation of symbology identifiers in healthcare environments.
• Developing standardized Fixed Pattern Damage (FPD) test symbols to help ensure consistent barcode verifier performance across manufacturers.
• Evaluating potential updates to the AIDC Layman’s Guide, which may require modernization to reflect evolving industry practices.
• Producing educational material addressing mobile scanning technologies, including considerations related to modern camera-based scanning solutions.
• Monitoring the status of the Ultracode standard currently under ballot within ISO/IEC committees.

Community Engagement Initiatives

Women of AIDC

Liaison | Bethany Deane

The Women of AIDC initiative continues to foster professional networking and leadership development for women in the automatic identification industry. Virtual events and guest speaker sessions are helping build a supportive community while highlighting leadership perspectives and industry experiences.

Young Professionals of AIDC

Liaison | Michael Allen

The Young Professionals initiative is focused on strengthening engagement with the next generation of AIDC leaders. Current efforts include defining program goals, gathering community feedback through surveys, and exploring new ways to support mentorship, networking, and industry education.

Global Chapter Collaboration

AIM’s regional chapters remain instrumental in expanding awareness of AIDC technologies, advancing standards adoption, and supporting regional regulatory engagement.

Key global initiatives include:

Industry Education and Outreach

Chapters continue hosting educational events, webinars, and workshops to promote understanding of identification technologies across industries including healthcare, manufacturing, supply chain logistics, and retail.

Standards Development and Regulatory Advocacy

Several chapters remain actively involved in national and international standards organizations, helping align regional initiatives with global ISO standards and supporting regulatory compliance programs involving traceability, digital labeling, and cybersecurity.

Digital Transformation and Traceability

Regional initiatives are supporting emerging regulatory and industry requirements such as Digital Product Passport programs, 2D barcode adoption, and enhanced supply chain transparency.

Technology Adoption and Implementation

Many chapters are actively supporting deployments of AIDC technologies such as RFID, Data Matrix, and digital labeling, helping organizations improve product identification, regulatory compliance, and operational visibility.

ISO and Registration Authority Activities

ADC1 Technical Advisory Group (TAG)

Secretariat | Mary Lou Bosco

As the Secretariat for the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO/IEC SC31, AIM continues to support global standards development and registration services.

Activities include:

• Managing registration programs for unique identifiers and RFID tag identifiers
• Supporting standards related to RFID data encoding and interoperability
• Maintaining registration databases and processing new applications as needed

These activities help ensure global interoperability of automatic identification systems and support industry adoption of standardized identification structures.

Regional Chapter Highlights

Across AIM’s international chapters, organizations continue to strengthen collaboration through educational programs, regulatory engagement, and technology implementation initiatives. Areas of focus include:

• Digital Product Passport and sustainability initiatives
• Supply chain traceability and transparency
• Food safety and medical device identification programs
• Transition toward 2D barcode and digital link standards
• Support for national digital transformation initiatives
• Industry certification, education, and workforce development programs

These efforts demonstrate AIM’s continued global leadership in advancing identification technologies and supporting digital transformation across industries.  IF you would like to learn more about any of these initiatives, contact Michael Allen.

The most recent AIM Quarterly Chapter Meeting brought together chapter leaders and global representatives to share updates, discuss strategic priorities, and reinforce collaboration across the Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) ecosystem. The meeting reflected AIM’s continued commitment to advancing standards, education, advocacy, and membership engagement worldwide. Chapters provided insights into regional activities, regulatory developments, educational initiatives, and industry adoption trends, while AIM Global outlined strategic initiatives designed to strengthen collaboration and expand industry influence.

Below is a breakdown of key highlights from each regional chapter and AIM Global initiatives.

AIM Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (AIM-D)

AIM-D provided a comprehensive overview of its continued leadership in European standardization and regulatory advocacy. The chapter remains heavily engaged in regulatory initiatives including the Radio Equipment Directive, Cyber Resilience Act, cybersecurity frameworks, and Digital Product Passport development. The organization is also supporting frequency harmonization for RFID bands and addressing interference concerns, demonstrating strong advocacy for industry needs.

AIM-D is advancing technical collaboration through initiatives such as the Global Positioning Group focused on RTLS standardization and ongoing work in systems integration, including RFID and IO-Link interoperability. The chapter continues to expand its thought leadership through expert working groups, certification efforts, and market research activities.

From a membership and engagement standpoint, AIM-D acknowledged challenges related to regulatory pressures, workforce shortages, and market conditions. Despite these challenges, the chapter successfully launched a new website and LinkedIn presence while planning several major industry events and conferences to support community engagement and technical collaboration.

AIM Russia

AIM Russia highlighted its strong focus on standards development, advocacy, and education. The chapter continues to serve as a key contributor to national and international AIDC standardization through its participation in ISO and regional technical committees.

Recent accomplishments include the adoption of updated Data Matrix and high-capacity automatic data capture media standards aligned with international ISO specifications. AIM Russia is also playing an important role in supporting national traceability programs that leverage RFID and Data Matrix technologies to enhance product identification and supply chain visibility across multiple sectors.

The chapter remains active in providing technical training and consultation services to support implementation of these traceability initiatives, reinforcing the importance of standards adoption and user education across the region.

AIM India

AIM India celebrated significant growth and engagement as it marked its third anniversary. The chapter continues expanding awareness of AIDC technologies through webinars, exhibitions, and participation in major industry conferences across sectors including healthcare, manufacturing, and digital transformation.

A major focus for the chapter moving forward is leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding to expand educational outreach and workforce development initiatives. AIM India has also demonstrated strong momentum in promoting AIDC adoption across healthcare and medical device applications, further supporting national digital transformation initiatives.

The chapter continues building partnerships with industry organizations and government bodies to promote skill development and operational efficiency through AIDC technologies.

AIM North America

AIM North America reported continued success in expanding industry collaboration and educational initiatives across multiple vertical markets. The chapter highlighted the success of its membership engagement programs, including gift membership campaigns and community networking events.

Several workgroups remain highly active, including the Food Supply Chain Work Group addressing regulatory compliance and food safety challenges, the UDI Work Group supporting medical device traceability and Sunrise 2027 transition to 2D barcodes, and the Cannabis Work Group focusing on regulatory compliance and traceability innovation.

The chapter continues strengthening partnerships with organizations while expanding podcast and educational content designed to support industry knowledge sharing and best practices.

AIM Asia

AIM Asia reported significant progress in launching its Digital Product Passport (DPP) Workgroup. The initiative focuses on key industries including garments, semiconductors, food, and pharmaceuticals, reflecting growing global demand for product transparency and lifecycle traceability.

The chapter is also developing a regional digital collaboration platform designed to improve communication, resource sharing, and engagement among members throughout the Asia-Pacific region. These initiatives demonstrate the chapter’s commitment to supporting regional digital transformation and strengthening global alignment on regulatory compliance and traceability solutions.

AIM Denmark

AIM Denmark continues to play an important role in advancing knowledge-sharing and industry collaboration around digital transformation and Digital Product Passport implementation. The chapter hosted multiple events focused on data utilization, digital labeling, and traceability.

Educational outreach remains a key focus, including AIDC web series and site visits to showcase real-world technology implementation. AIM Denmark continues to provide engagement opportunities through targeted educational programs and industry partnerships.

AIM Japan

AIM Japan continues to prioritize educational expansion and industry collaboration. The chapter is actively working with organizations to host AIDC 101 educational workshops and is pursuing sponsorship opportunities to support program delivery.

The chapter is also strengthening relationships with international organizations, including GS1 China and regional partners, to promote adoption of AIDC technologies across Asia. These initiatives reinforce AIM Japan’s commitment to education, standardization, and global collaboration.

AIM Korea

AIM Korea continues to support the transition from traditional 1D barcodes to GS1-based 2D digital link standards through its Smart Food QR initiative. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and GS1 Korea to enhance consumer access to food safety and product information.

This initiative represents a significant step toward digital labeling adoption and improved transparency across food supply chains in Korea.

AIM Europe

AIM Europe emphasized its continued leadership in regulatory advocacy and technical standardization. The chapter remains highly engaged in EU regulatory discussions, including cybersecurity, radio equipment regulations, and interference mitigation initiatives. It also continues to support Digital Product Passport implementation efforts through collaboration with standards organizations and government bodies.

AIM Global Initiatives and Strategic Direction

AIM Global reinforced its strategic priorities centered on standards development, advocacy, education, and community building. The organization continues to play a central role in global regulatory advocacy, including responses to spectrum and positioning technology proposals that may impact RFID operations and support for Digital Product Passport standardization efforts.

Educational initiatives remain a major focus, including continued expansion of AIDC 101 and 102 workshops, industry research initiatives, and publication of industry trend reports. AIM also highlighted the Case Study Competition as a platform to showcase innovative AIDC applications and industry success stories.

To support member and prospect engagement, AIM is enhancing digital resources including a new Member Hub, Prospect Gateway, improved member directories, and exploration of mobile event applications designed to strengthen networking and collaboration opportunities. 

AIM also continues expanding global community initiatives, including Women in AIDC and Young Professionals programs, which aim to foster industry growth, mentorship, and leadership development.

Looking Ahead

The meeting concluded with discussion of upcoming collaborative opportunities, continued development of the global transportation, logistics, and warehousing industry survey, and expansion of educational and advocacy initiatives worldwide.

This quarterly chapter meeting reinforced AIM’s role as a global connector across industries, technologies, and regulatory landscapes. Through continued collaboration, education, and standards development, AIM chapters are helping drive innovation, traceability, and interoperability across the rapidly evolving AIDC ecosystem.

The automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) industry continues to play a critical role in enabling enterprise digital transformation. As organizations invest in artificial intelligence, IoT infrastructure, advanced analytics, and connected supply chains, AIDC technologies are increasingly recognized as the foundation that makes these initiatives possible. Insights from the 2025 AIM Automatic Identification and Data Capture Industry Direction Report highlight several emerging trends that are shaping technology adoption, operational strategies, and market opportunities across industries.

AIDC Spending Remains Strong Despite Economic Pressure

Even as organizations balance competing technology priorities and economic uncertainty, investment in AIDC technologies remains resilient. According to our report, nearly twice as many enterprises expect to increase their AIDC spending compared to those planning reductions, demonstrating strong confidence in the long-term value of accurate data capture and identification technologies.

Most organizations anticipate maintaining or modestly increasing budgets across nearly every AIDC category. This steady investment highlights how AIDC continues to serve as essential infrastructure that supports higher-level initiatives such as AI, robotics, cloud migration, and advanced customer engagement platforms.  What though are some of the emerging AIDC trends for the future of the industry?

Sensors and IoT Drive the Next Phase of Intelligent Operations

Our research found that some of  the most significant emerging trends is the rapid growth in sensor technology and IoT infrastructure. Sensors rank as the most likely AIDC technology to receive increased investment, signaling a broader shift toward real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation.

Enterprises are expanding traditional data capture capabilities by integrating environmental monitoring, condition tracking, and machine-level analytics into their operations. This “sense-and-respond” model is enabling organizations to improve decision-making, increase visibility across supply chains, and support automation initiatives across manufacturing, logistics, and field service environments.  Within manufacturing, logistics and field service environments another emerging trend is prevalent.

Mobile Data Capture Continues to Outpace Stationary Systems

The continued demand for mobile data capture technologies is seen in our studies as a strong trend moving forward. Handheld barcode readers, mobile computing platforms, and integrated scanning solutions are outperforming stationary alternatives as organizations prioritize workforce mobility and real-time operational visibility.

Mobile solutions allow companies to increase productivity, reduce manual processes, and improve data accuracy in dynamic operational environments such as warehouses, retail operations, and healthcare facilities. This mobility-driven transformation is helping organizations close visibility gaps while supporting labor efficiency and workforce optimization.  All this also helps with traceability requirements, another emerging trend we found.

Traceability Requirements Are Expanding Market Opportunities

Traceability continues to be one of the strongest drivers for AIDC adoption. Regulatory programs such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP), FDA traceability initiatives, and global product identification standards are increasing demand for technologies that enable item-level visibility and lifecycle tracking.

Organizations investing in traceability solutions are significantly more likely to deploy barcode, RFID, and RTLS technologies. These initiatives are driving adoption across industries including healthcare, food safety, manufacturing, and retail while also creating new opportunities for system integration, software development, and advanced analytics services.

AIDC Enables Emerging Technologies Including AI, 5G, and Cloud

As enterprises pursue advanced digital transformation strategies, AIDC technologies are increasingly positioned as foundational enablers. Artificial intelligence and analytics systems rely on high-quality, real-time data to produce meaningful insights, while 5G and cloud infrastructure expand connectivity and processing capabilities across distributed environments.

Organizations investing in AI and IoT are also more likely to deploy RFID systems, RTLS platforms, and mobile computing technologies. These cross-technology dependencies reinforce the importance of AIDC as a critical layer within modern enterprise technology ecosystems.  Even with some of these “newer technologies” being key trends, old standbys remain very much relevant.

Barcode Technology Remains Mission Critical

While new technologies continue to gain attention, barcode systems remain one of the most widely deployed and essential data capture technologies in enterprise operations. Organizations consistently identify barcode solutions as foundational infrastructure required to support order fulfillment, inventory control, and supply chain execution.

The continued investment in barcode technology demonstrates its reliability, scalability, and interoperability with emerging digital transformation initiatives.  Some areas that do not have quite the reliability are creating new adoption trends.

Skills Shortages and ROI Justification Are Influencing Adoption

While investment momentum remains strong, organizations continue to face challenges related to workforce skill shortages, system integration complexity, and justifying technology ROI. These challenges are creating new opportunities for solution providers, industry organizations, and ecosystem partners to support education, training, and implementation guidance.

Industry collaboration and standards development remain critical factors in reducing deployment risk, simplifying integration, and accelerating adoption across sectors.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain Resilience Continue to Drive Innovation

Manufacturing remains the largest market for AIDC adoption, driven by labor shortages, supply chain disruption, and trading partner requirements. Organizations are prioritizing automation, predictive maintenance, and improved operational visibility to increase resilience and responsiveness in an increasingly volatile global market.

These pressures are accelerating the adoption of sensor technologies, mobile computing, barcode systems, and traceability solutions that enable manufacturers to operate with greater agility and efficiency.

Looking Ahead

The AIDC industry is entering a new phase of growth driven by digital transformation, regulatory compliance, and the increasing demand for real-time operational intelligence. As enterprises deploy AI, IoT, and connected infrastructure, the need for accurate, reliable, and timely data capture will continue to expand.

The 2025 AIM Industry Direction Report provides deeper analysis, market insights, and strategic recommendations for organizations looking to understand where the industry is headed and how to position themselves for future growth.

Readers interested in exploring these trends in greater detail can access additional insights within the full report available here.

AIM members are eligible to receive a complimentary copy of the report. To request access, please reach out to AIM staff for assistance.