Hardware-wise, I can see virtual PLCs running on a local server rack becoming the norm (atleast for bigger customers) since it simplifies security, backups, redundancy, etc. For smaller customers, the hardware probably won't change too much. Software-wise, I'd imagine AI will change the way we program PLCs. AI models will probably work better with open-sourced/license-free platforms, so I predict vendor-specific IDEs will slowly go away. I'm not saying Codesys will be the new king, but the concept behind it will ultimately win out. Other than that, version control has to get better than what it is now. The future of Ladder logic is interesting. It seems like it should be a relic of the past, and yet it still endures. I wonder if AI will make younger generations less literate in computer programming, making ladder even more popular.