Emerson has acquired Glue, a developer of AI-enabled test and validation software, as the global automation company continues expanding the software-defined and data-centric capabilities of its NI Test & Measurement portfolio.
Glue developed Glue Studio, a software platform that applies specialized AI capabilities to test generation, test planning, and engineering validation. Emerson plans to integrate those capabilities with NI Nigel AI, its domain-specific AI system designed specifically for test and measurement workflows. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
The acquisition gives Emerson additional technology for addressing a part of the engineering process that can be complex and time-consuming. Product validation often involves developing test plans, defining requirements, generating tests, analyzing results, and maintaining traceability between what engineers originally designed and what ultimately passed verification.
By applying AI across those workflows, Emerson aims to help engineering teams automate more of the planning and validation processes while providing users with context-aware assistance, rather than relying solely on general-purpose AI tools.
Nigel is already embedded directly within NI software and is trained in areas including test system design, testing methodologies, and data analysis. Emerson designed the system as a specialized AI assistant capable of understanding the context of test and measurement workflows and helping engineers make decisions throughout product development.
Glue Studio adds complementary capabilities around test generation and planning. Emerson said integrating the technology into Nigel will help connect validation workflows more effectively, improve traceability, and shorten the path between initial product design and verified performance.
The strategic value of the acquisition, therefore, extends beyond simply adding another standalone software product. Emerson is using Glue’s technology to broaden the range of engineering work that Nigel can support and create a more integrated AI layer across NI’s test and measurement software.
That approach could become increasingly important as engineering organizations seek to shorten product development cycles without sacrificing validation rigor. Better integration between test planning, execution, data analysis, and verification can potentially reduce repetitive work and help engineers identify issues earlier in the development process.
Emerson also sees AI as a way to improve human decision-making rather than simply automate engineering work. Nigel’s domain-specific design is intended to provide engineers with guidance informed by test system requirements and measurement data, while Glue Studio can extend that assistance into additional stages of validation.
The acquisition fits Emerson’s broader strategy of making its Test & Measurement business increasingly software-defined. As test environments generate larger quantities of data and product development becomes more complex, software and AI can play a greater role in determining how tests are created, managed, analyzed, and connected to engineering requirements.
By combining Glue Studio with Nigel, Emerson is building toward a more unified AI-assisted workflow in which engineers can move from test planning through validation and performance verification with greater automation and traceability.
Ultimately, Emerson appears to be buying Glue to accelerate Nigel’s evolution from an AI assistant focused on individual test and measurement tasks into a broader intelligence layer that spans more of the engineering validation lifecycle. The combination gives Emerson additional AI capabilities for helping customers plan tests, connect validation activities, analyze information, and move products from design to verified performance more efficiently.
KEY QUOTES:
“Glue Studio brings highly complementary capabilities that align closely with Emerson’s strategy to lead in software-defined test and measurement. By integrating Glue Studio’s AI-enabled validation technology into Nigel, we are enhancing our ability to extend AI-assisted test planning and validation across the engineering workflow and help customers improve engineering decisions.”
Ritu Favre, Group President of Test & Measurement at Emerson
