Witnessing the unprecedented scale and speed of industry transformation due to digitization in general and the emergence of smart solutions in all aspects of manufacturing in particular, it is well justified to deal with the question of what production of the future will look like. How intelligent will it be when the hard challenges and disruptive effects of the changes will be overcome, and what are the chances to meet the critical requirements of collaboration and cooperation, flexibility and competitiveness? What are the technological and management tools to avoid being stuck in the so-called pilot purgatory? These issues are addressed in an international survey based on a questionnaire specifically tailored to conclude to viable options and recommendations for industrial companies. The results that are mostly in conformity with those published in the literature show that there is yet a lot to do to facilitate a definite turn in the mindset of the actors and to make them realize the relevance of simultaneous and continuous cultural and technological development.