That's a fascinating question! If I were designing the perfect industrial automation component today for the AI-driven factory of 2030, I'd approach it with a blend of respect for what works and bold reimagining for what's coming.

Here's what I'd keep from legacy systems:

1. Protocol compatibility - I'd maintain support for workhorse protocols like Modbus, Profinet, and Ethernet/IP. These are the 'common language' that billions of existing devices speak, and we can't just abandon them overnight.

2. Rugged industrial design principles - The physical durability, temperature tolerance, and vibration resistance that industrial equipment has developed over decades is non-negotiable. Factories are tough environments!

3. Safety standards - The hard-won safety protocols and fail-safe mechanisms that protect workers must remain foundational.

Now for the complete reimagining:

1. AI-native architecture - Instead of just being 'AI-compatible,' components would have built-in machine learning capabilities, self-optimization, and predictive maintenance algorithms right at the edge.

2. Universal semantic interoperability - Moving beyond just data exchange to true understanding. Components would use something like OPC UA's semantic framework so they don't just share data, they understand what the data means across different systems.

3. Self-configuring networks - No more manual IP addressing or complex network setup. Components would discover each other, negotiate roles, and optimize communication automatically.

4. Cybersecurity by design - Not as an add-on, but built into the silicon with hardware-based security, zero-trust architecture, and continuous threat monitoring.

5. Energy harvesting and sustainability - Components that can power themselves from ambient energy (vibration, heat differentials, etc.) and communicate their carbon footprint in real-time.

The key insight is that the 'perfect' component for 2030 needs to be a bridge - speaking the old languages fluently while pioneering the new conversations that AI-driven factories will require. It's about evolution, not revolution, but with some truly revolutionary thinking about what's possible!