Minda_AU2026_Key_Announcements.pdf
THE DESIGN & MAKE CONFERENCE
Key announcements
1
Autodesk University (AU) 2026 brings together the global Design & Make community for three days of innovation, learning, and connection.
Customers can explore the latest Autodesk technology and product developments, hear from industry leaders, and gain practical insights through keynotes, hands-on sessions, and hundreds of learning opportunities spanning AI, digital transformation, sustainability, and the future of design and make.
About Autodesk University
September 15–17 | Las Vegas | Digital
2
Get inspired and understand what’s changing across Design & Make
01
See what’s next Get inspired and understand what’s
changing across Design & Make
Keynotes & major Autodesk announcements AI, automation & connected data Industry insights & customer stories Future-focused technology & workflows
02
Build skills & drive impact
Turn new ideas and technology into better ways of working
500+ expert-led learning sessions Hands-on labs & product demos Real-world workflows & best practices Autodesk Certification opportunities
Community Meetups & Braindates AU Expo & expert connections Networking, receptions & social events AU Clubhouse & Closing Celebration
Learn from peers, experts, and leaders across Design & Make
Connect with the community
03
3
Watch Day 1 Keynote →
Day One explored how Autodesk is helping people, teams, and organizations unlock more capacity to deliver.
Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost and CTO Raji Arasu shared how Autodesk AI and Industry Clouds are helping customers move faster, reduce repetitive work, improve predictability, and unlock new value across design, make, and operate. Through demonstrations, they showed how AI can help individuals work smarter, teams collaborate more effectively, and organizations turn ideas into outcomes with greater speed and confidence.
The keynote also featured a fireside chat between Andrew and Clara Shih, founder of the New Work Foundation, exploring how agentic AI is transforming the way organizations work and how combining human expertise with AI can unlock new capacity.
Missed the Day One keynote—or want to revisit the highlights? Watch it on demand to see how Autodesk is building AI for the real world and helping customers tackle bigger challenges.
Day 1 Keynote
4
https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital/session/1783463814426001iYsV https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital/session/1783463814426001iYsV
Watch Day 2 Keynote →
Day Two brought Autodesk’s AI vision into sharper focus through the lens of the industries we serve.
Autodesk’s industry leaders took the stage to explore what the capabilities introduced on Day One mean in practice across design and manufacturing; architecture, engineering, construction, and operations; and media and entertainment.
Through industry-specific insights and examples, the keynote showed how Autodesk AI can translate into real-world productivity gains, more connected workflows, and new opportunities to design, make, and build more.
Missed the Day Two keynote—or want to take another look? Watch it on demand to see how Autodesk is bringing AI into the workflows that matter most to your industry.
Day 2 Keynote
5
https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital/session/1783521163092001sKDE https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital/session/1783521163092001sKDE
AU Key news, highlights & announcements
Image courtesy of [Name]
6
The announcements at AU 2026 are not a collection of standalone features. Together, they represent a broader shift in how Autodesk is applying AI to unlock capacity across Design, Make, and Operate.
ABOUT AU 2026
Unlock your capacity across Design, Make & Operate
AUTODESK ASSISTANT
At the center is Autodesk Assistant, our context-aware AI companion that understands the models, project data, and decisions behind the work — and can turn that understanding into action directly within Autodesk workflows.
While competitors are introducing similar AI capabilities, Autodesk's advantage is context: AI grounded in the real-world complexity of what our customers design, build, manufacture, and operate, working in the tools where that work already happens.
That is what moves AI from a helpful feature to a meaningful new way of working.
7
8
Design & manufacturing
Image courtesy of [Name]
8 announcements [2 pages per announcement] 6 products
9
WHAT WE ANNOUNCED
Fusion Reimagines PLM with AI (Agentic PLM) Fusion introduces an agentic PLM experience that makes product lifecycle workflows more accessible and decision-oriented across the Fusion ecosystem.
Fusion introduces an agentic PLM experience that makes product lifecycle workflows more accessible and decision-oriented across the Fusion ecosystem.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Traditional PLM can be slow, clunky and hard for non- CAD users. Supply chain issues require fast cross-functional decisions. Teams need traceability and control.
OUTCOMES WHO IT’S FOR
Earlier insights into product and supply risks. Accelerated approvals and decision-making. More predictable and manageable supply chain outcomes.
Supply chain managers. Engineering managers and product teams. Manufacturing leaders, CAD and non-CAD stakeholders.
Fusion
Autodesk Assistant
Individual level
Availability: Future Release 10
CAPABILITIES UNLOCKED
01
Assistant extracts actionable data from supplier communications.
02
PLM canvas organizes the issue, analysis and request.
03
05
04
06
Assistant identifies impacted product lines and BOM effects.
Assistant allows user to refine markup before change orders.
Assistant drafts change orders and assigns implementation tasks.
PLM Canvas suggests substitute options with lead- time and risk context.
11
WHAT WE ANNOUNCED
AI Productivity in Fusion Autodesk is expanding AI across Fusion design and make workflows to remove repetitive tasks and improve outcomes.
Autodesk is expanding AI across Fusion design and make workflows to remove repetitive tasks and improve outcomes.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Imported parts often lack feature history or constraints. Finding reusable designs is harder than it should be. CAM programming can require endless manual selections.
OUTCOMES WHO IT’S FOR
Faster assembly setup. More editable imported geometry. Better design reuse and accelerated CAM programming.
Mechanical designers. Manufacturing engineers. Machinists and CAM programmers.
Fusion
Company level
Availability: Future Release 12
CAPABILITIES UNLOCKED
01
AutoAssemble finds connection points and orients/attaches parts.
02
AutoTimeline creates editable, intelligent timelines from models.
03
05
04
Find Similar identifies and swaps alternatives — beyond part-number search or basic geometry comparison.
Automated CAM generates toolpaths and tailors future output based on user edits.
Automated CAM Programming selects tools and geometry.
13
WHAT WE ANNOUNCED
Fusion Leads: AI in Design Fusion adds AutoAssemble, AutoTimeline and AI-assisted Configurations via Autodesk Assistant, taking geometry with no constraints and no design history and making it usable instantly.
Fusion adds AutoAssemble, AutoTimeline and AI- assisted Configurations via Autodesk Assistant, taking geometry with no constraints and no design history and making it usable instantly.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Adding new parts to assemblies always felt very manual and repetitive. Imported sub-assemblies arrive with every part loose and floating. Rebuilding a model usually takes days.
OUTCOMES WHO IT’S FOR
AutoTimeline rebuilds design history in minutes instead of days. Working, moving assemblies with relationships created exactly as a designer would. Generate hundreds of valid product variations in seconds.
Design engineers working in Fusion assemblies. Teams importing CAD from other platforms. Manufacturers managing product configurations and variants.
Fusion
Autodesk Assistant
Individual level
Availability: Future Release 14
CAPABILITIES UNLOCKED
01
AutoAssemble predicts where a new part should be positioned based on past assemblies.
02
AutoAssemble offers multiple placements and inserts them together.
03
05
04
06
AutoAssemble constrains imported sub-assemblies from other CAD platforms automatically.
AutoTimeline generates optimal, error-free parametric design history in minutes.
AI-assisted Configurations: describe requirements to Autodesk Assistant and generate hundreds of manufacturable variations.
AutoAssemble clusters parts that belong together instead of creating unworkable relationships.
15
WHAT WE ANNOUNCED
AI Comes to Inventor + Vault Inventor becomes the first Fusion Connected Client, powered by System Modeler, and Autodesk Assistant arrives in both Inventor and Vault, including a new agentic experience in Vault.
Inventor becomes the first Fusion Connected Client, powered by System Modeler, and Autodesk Assistant arrives in both Inventor and Vault, including a new agentic experience in Vault.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Our AI investment extends to all the tools you use today, including Inventor and Vault. Desktop applications need a stronger bridge to cloud- based workflows. Instead of recreating work, you can maximize the value of your data and move faster.
OUTCOMES WHO IT’S FOR
Build custom workflows across tools quickly and easily. Generate documentation in batch with iLogic. Find and reuse existing designs instead of recreating them.
Inventor users with established desktop workflows. Vault administrators and data managers. Teams bridging desktop design and cloud manufacturing.
Inventor
Vault
Autodesk Assistant
Individual level
Availability: Future Release 16
CAPABILITIES UNLOCKED
01
Custom cross-tool workflows, for example auto- nesting an Inventor design ready to cut in Fusion.
02
Autodesk Assistant in Inventor unlocks Inventor's APIs to improve modeling operations.
03
05
04
Batch documentation generation with iLogic.
New agentic Autodesk Assistant experience in Vault that finds and suggests existing designs.
Seamless data management and collaboration between Inventor and Vault.
17
WHAT WE ANNOUNCED
Reimagining PLM with AI (agentic PLM experience) A new agentic PLM experience in Fusion that extends the digital thread across the product lifecycle and ecosystem, reaching into email and chat and connecting to third-party business systems through an MCP connector.
A new agentic PLM experience in Fusion that extends the digital thread across the product lifecycle and ecosystem, reaching into email and chat and connecting to third-party business systems through an MCP connector.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Manufacturers lose billions of dollars on PLM every year because of slow approvals and clunky tools. It's 2026; you should be using intuitive, automated solutions. Supply chain disruptions shouldn't become costly problems.
OUTCOMES WHO IT’S FOR
Line of sight across product changes, approvals, teams and even third parties, in real time. Connect unstructured conversations with structured product data and take action much faster. Invisible PLM that accelerates decision-making across the entire product lifecycle and ecosystem.
Manufacturers running or replacing legacy PLM. Cross-functional teams spanning design, make and supply chain. Organizations working with external partners and third parties.
Fusion
Autodesk Assistant
Project level
Availability: Future Release 18
CAPABILITIES UNLOCKED
01
Real-time line of sight across product changes, approvals, teams and third parties.
02
PLM extended into collaboration tools you already use, like email and chat.
03
05
04
Connect unstructured conversations with structured product data.
Product information such as inventory and cost available right when you need it.
MCP connector to third-party business systems such as Microsoft Dynamics.
19
Download the report →
Hot off the heels of Autodesk University, we’re excited to introduce the State of Design & Make 2027 report—bringing fresh insights into the forces shaping the future of our industries.
Building on the momentum, key announcements, and innovations unveiled at AU, the report explores how leaders are navigating rapid change, harnessing AI and emerging technologies, and rethinking productivity, resilience, and sustainability. It’s a powerful opportunity to continue the conversation with customers and explore what these shifts could mean for their business and what comes next.
State of Design & Make 2026
20
https://www.autodesk.com/design-make/research/state-of-design-and-make-2027 https://www.autodesk.com/design-make/research/state-of-design-and-make-2027 https://www.autodesk.com/design-make/research/state-of-design-and-make-2027
On-demand sessions | Relevant links
On-demand sessions by date:
Tuesday, September 15 →
Wednesday, September 16 →
Thursday, September 17 →
On-demand sessions by industry
Architecture services →
Automotive and other transportation →
Building products and fabrication →
Buildings →
Civil infrastructure →
Construction services →
Consumer products →
Education →
Engineering services providers →
Film & TV →
Games → Industrial machinery →
Life sciences manufacturing →
Manufacturing Other →
Process manufacturing →
Utilities & telecom →
Other →
21
https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260915 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260915 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260916 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260916 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_Architecture https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_AutomotiveandOtherTransportation https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_AutomotiveandOtherTransportation https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_BuildingProductsandFabrication https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_BuildingProductsandFabrication https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_BuildingEngineering-MEPandStructural https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_BuildingEngineering-MEPandStructural https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_CivilInfrastructureDesign https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_CivilInfrastructureDesign https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_Construction https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_Construction https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_ConsumerProducts https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_ConsumerProducts https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_Education https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=option_1771611029568 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=option_1771611029568 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_FilmandTV https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_Games https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_IndustrialMachinery https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_LifeSciencesManufacturing https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_LifeSciencesManufacturing https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=option_1771002365137 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=option_1771002365137 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_ProcessManufacturing https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_ProcessManufacturing https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_UtilitiesandTelecom https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=industrySegmentAU_UtilitiesandTelecom https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=option_1771002409774 https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/sessioncatalog/page/digital?tab.digitaltabs=1689720562597001K8YZ&search.day=20260917&search.day=20260916&search.day=20260915&search.industry=option_1771002409774
Autodesk and the Autodesk logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2025 Autodesk. All rights reserved.
22