AU23: Autodesk University ‘Design and Make’ 2023—Our Report

AUTODESK UNIVERSITY 2023 ‘Design and Make’—held in Las Vegas at the Venetian Resort Convention Center—was filled with members of the AEC community due to the strikes in Hollywood reducing the number of M&E professionals that usually fill the floors here.

The Future and AI

CEO Andrew Anagnost welcomed attendees with an upbeat keynote and spoke about the release of their upcoming 2024 Report, “State of Design and Make,” about the state of the business of creating. 77% of the companies interviewed for this report say they plan to increase or strongly increase AI in their infrastructure. What is interesting about this report is how the statistics and percentages give professionals an understanding of where technology and their businesses are headed. Look for this report in 2024.

Ryan Reynolds made a rare appearance at the second keynote at Autodesk University. He talked about his partnerships with Autodesk on his new stadium renovation for his soccer club and contributions to his organizations for helping up-and-coming creative talent.

Autodesk is committed to bringing digital technical solutions to its users. It wants to empower its users to be more productive, sustainable, and stronger by using technology. This point was made very clear by the CEO of Autodesk, Andrew Anagnost, who is passionate about the direction of Autodesk and the future it will help create with its users. AI was at the core of the conversation.

Keynote

“Today, we are announcing Autodesk AI. Autodesk AI is a technology we’ve been working on and investing in for years. It powers our ‘Design and Make’ platform and our industry clouds. We’re putting AI to work because we know it’s going to transform the way you work,” Andrew Anagnost explained to his audience.

He explained how Autodesk has been developing its AI through its product line over the past decade.

Jeff Kinder, EVP of Design and Manufacturing at Autodesk, spoke about Fusion, their industry cloud for manufacturing. Fusion is changing the Design and Make process, which is powered by Autodesk AI. It allows you to design where your thoughts are rather than thinking about the tool to do it.

You can see all the relevant data for the product’s life cycle from the beginning to see how it performs and is manufactured. Fusion is being developed to have automated templates for computer-aided manufacturing tool paths that can be adjusted by users as needed.

Autodesk talked about their acquisition of Blank AI’s capabilities for conceptual design ideas for the automotive industry with increased positive outcomes with 3D models that can be created, studied, and edited in real-time using semantic controls and natural language without using advanced technical skills. Autodesk Fusion users can create product designs that are auto-created by AI to optimize the manufacturing method and performance and save on costs.

Diana Colella, EVP of Entertainment & Media Solutions, talked about how Autodesk is building Flow – Autodesk’s industry cloud for Media & Entertainment. The idea is to provide an open ecosystem that connects the different phases of production together with one solution.

 

 

 

 

Flow will leverage open standards like Universal Scene Description (Open USD) to ensure interoperability. Flow has generative scheduling features that can help productions manage shifting changes in creating a television show, animation, film, or video game. Generative scheduling can do what once took days in minutes.

Autodesk Flow technology uses AI to automate certain tasks for artists, like keying, sky replacement, beauty work, and camera tracking. AI workflows coming to Maya provide a new way to interact with Maya with language prompts. A collaboration with Wonder Dynamics will power a new Maya plug-in to automatically animate, light, and compose computer-generated characters for live-action scenes.

My question about Flow is, will it incorporate Entertainment Partners Movie Magic Budgeting and Scheduling or their Scenechronize (Production Management software) to Cast & Crew’s Studio+? Will Flow start out mostly in post-production until these parts of production become part of the Flow ecosystem? Production can be complex in live action with actors, writers, unions, and an ever-changing landscape. I hope Flow is a flexible solution that can help manage the digital tools, but hopefully, it can become a much more robust solution for the entire process.

Amy Bunszel, EVP of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Design Solutions, stated, “I believe that AI should augment you, not replace you.” She announced that in the next year, Autodesk would expand Forma’s capabilities.

Forma provides data analysis for wind, noise, and operations that enable teams to plan better outcomes for projects. InfoDrainage, the Machine Learning Deluge Tool, gives feedback on placement for retention ponds and swales to prevent and reduce the impact of water disasters.

AutoCAD is using AI to analyze documents by reading handwritten and digital markups to easily manage changes. Construction IQ uses the power of AI to predict, prevent, and manage construction risks that can impact safety, cost, and schedule.

I think Forma is a powerful tool and is just at the beginning of becoming something more impactful. (See: Autodesk, “Film: Nordic Office of Architecture—how new technology opens up new opportunities for design, collaboration and business,” 8 May 2023) I remember architects in California having a hard time getting structural engineers after the pandemic due to a backlog that raised costs and made coordination difficult. I hope Forma brings teams together to make this part of construction faster, more efficient, and cost-saving and keep teams on the same page.

Raji Arasu, EVP Chief Technology Officer, explained the depth of the use of AI for Autodesk users, explaining these AI tools should make everything faster and more efficient and empower users not to replace people or creatives in the pipeline.

Andrew Anagnost explained to the user base that AI is meant to be a starting place to augment your ideas so you can get things done and reduce the time spent on a process that you do over and over and doesn’t need to be repeated. It can reduce unproductive tasks and eliminate them. AI can learn from your workflow and help automate tasks while helping to reduce waste and cost. AI can go through different scenarios and suggest the best solutions, making your company more productive.

Andrew Anagnost also announced Workshop XR, which is an immersive design and review workspace connected directly to Autodesk Construction Cloud in collaboration with META. It gives teams in architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AEC/O) a workspace to review 3D models and their data, providing improved and efficient design reviews in real-time.

It gives design teams a review where they can walk through models on a one-to-one scale and understand how the data from the project can translate into the real world.

Teams can track and catch errors and have a spatial understanding before projects go into the construction phase. This can be a cost-effective solution, saving budget costs not discovered in traditional methods. You can make better decisions to save on costs and do better sustainable design. The more information you have upfront helps save money, reduce waste, and reduce unnecessary travel.

Autodesk Workshop XR is available for Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3 headsets.

For more information, go to https://workshopxr.autodesk.com/.

Next Page: AU 23 EXPO Highlights

 

EXPO Highlights

Arkance

Arkance premieres at Autodesk University, celebrating its status as Autodesk’s first global premiere partner. Arkance is a leading architecture, engineering, construction, and manufacturing solutions provider. Arkance unveiled the Be.Smart product portfolio to help with new jobs to do that have emerged in the Design and Built industries.

• Introducing the Arkance Partner to Build Smarter strategy, a network of best-in-class technology partners to lead organizations by harnessing the best in tech.
• Sustainability and Digital Advisory services have been expanded to help customers quickly connect the dots between technology and sustainable outcomes to create a better world.
• Broadening of the Think.Future strategic framework, a visionary approach that champions digitalization, central data environments, and the use of technology to reduce waste and redundancy. 
• Unparalleled momentum and expertise in Autodesk solutions to drive value for the Design and Make Industries. 

Arkance offers the largest professional services team dedicated to supporting digitalization for the Design and Make industries. 

For more information, go to https://www.arkance.net/.

 

ERSI

Ersi’s ArcGIS Basemaps and ArcGIS Living Atlas Data will be integrated into Autodesk Software environment. AEC relies on the interoperability of geographic information systems (GIS) and building information modeling (BIM) to reduce costs and get things done faster in construction. ERSI, the global leader in location intelligence, and Autodesk, an industry leader in Design and Make, have cultivated a strategic alliance to unify GIS and BIM, delivering real business value to architects, engineers, planners, and contractors. ArcGIS Basemaps and ArcGIS Living Atlas will be integrated into Autodesk software products. 

 

Matterport

Matterport announced a new CAD file add-on that will enable the simple creation of CAD files directly from Matterport, simplifying the pipeline to create digital twins.

The CAD file add-on package will include: 

• .DWG CAD format of floor plans and reflected ceiling plans (AutoCAD 2020 version) 
• .DXF exported from .DWG 
• PDF of all floor plans and reflected ceiling plans. 
• .RCS Point Cloud File 
• .CTB file of plot styles for CAD 

Architosh recently covered this exciting news in a report here. For more information, go to https://matterport.com/.

 

Lenovo

Lenovo showed off their new ThinkStation P8 tower workstation powered with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX Series processors and NVIDIA RTS GPUs. The ThinkStation P8 is a workstation designed for the most challenging workloads. It has an enhanced thermal design developed in cooperation with Aston Marin, allowing users to push AMD Threadripper’s power with the NVIDIA RTX professional graphics cards for the most complex projects.

ThinkStation P8 Tower specs include:

• Powered by the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX-Series
• 5nm “Zen 4” architecture
• Featuring 96 cores
• 192 threads
• NVIDIIA RTX 6000 (up to 3)

For more information, go to https://www.lenovo.com/.

Lenovo was not the only one on the show floor showing off hardware, as HP Z8 Fury is a comparable machine with similar specs for a second option in powerful workstations.  

For more information, go to https://www.hp.com/

 

Rivian

Rivian may be a new player in the electric vehicle market. Still, its strategy for developing facilities for infrastructure support using Autodesk Construction Cloud Data Analytics is helping it compete in the marketplace. This includes new office space to accommodate TI’s, service center, factory additions, charging and new retail space. Rivian used the ACC platform to collaborate with all their design and construction partners, including internal stakeholders. Using ACC data on a common platform, they could use the invaluable data to optimize and build better collaboration with their teams.

Rivian also uses an all-cloud-based solution using Forma to create better products. Rivian won the Autodesk 2023 Design and Make award for Accelerating Transformation.

For more information, go to https://rivian.com/.

 

The Phoenix

The Phoenix is a 300-unit affordable housing project in Oakland. A collaboration between MBH Architects, a modular housing builder Factory _OS, and expert design technology developers Autodesk, bio-materials company Evocative, and building envelope consultant Heintges, Kreysler, & Associates. 

The Phoenix is pushing the integration of fungi-based infrastructure into the mainstream of modular housing solutions. The mycelium composite panels—with the exterior being fiberglass cladding—can resist weathering, and the remaining infrastructure is brick. 

This collaboration created one of the most interesting centerpieces on the Autodesk University show floor. I loved walking through the apartments and seeing the layout of the interiors, which provided much-needed space to live a good life. The design of the exterior walls helped deal with sound outside while giving the occupant a better quality of life. The fungi-based infrastructure worked well for the design. Modular with a sustainable and cost-effective design made this a solution that affordable housing companies should consider. 

You can read more about it here. https://www.mbharch.com/thephoenix.

 

Nearmap

Nearmap, the aerial imagery company, showed off its new AI capabilities for identifying assets like roof types, vegetation, and swimming pools. AI delivers the results faster with the data you need for your projects. 

For more information, go to https://view.nearmap.com/.

 

BIMLOGIQ

BIMLOGIQ was demonstrating its AI solution to annotate and analyze BIM models to improve productivity. BIMLOGIQ provides AI solutions for the construction industry using cutting-edge technologies that can help reduce waste and cost. 

For more information, go to https://bimlogiq.com/.

 

Chaos Group

Chaos Group, one of the top interactive rendering companies, was showing off demos of Enscape working alongside Revit in real time for 3D visualization. Chaos Group has been around for a long time, providing some of the best tools for visualization of photo-realistic imagery, animation, and immersive experiences. 

For more information, go to https://www.chaos.com/.

 

The Sphere

Autodesk did a special tour of The Sphere at the Venetian Resort. The outside screen of the enormous structure was covered in giant LED panels and was seen from miles around Las Vegas. 

The Marvels movie had an ad on the giant screen. Inside the Sphere theater area was an interactive exhibit with robots in the lobby. VIP entrance through the Theory Lounge was excellent, and it took you to your seats quickly. You are not prepared for how large the screen is on the interior. 

Hundreds of people sat in their chairs in stadium seating while Darren Aronofsky’s “Postcard from Earth” unfolded onto the screen. It was stunning; you felt like you were inside the movie, and it can be a little tricky when it moves, considering you can feel the heights you are experiencing. “Postcard from Earth” was impressive with the high-resolution technology used to create it and the message about our planet. 

I recommend experiencing the Sphere at least once if you are in the area.

 

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.

This is one of those times you hope that the technology, vision, and sustainable solutions you saw at Autodesk University will thrive and grow far beyond Vegas into powerful solutions for AEC.

There is still a lot of controversy surrounding AI and sharing data with a corporate company. Autodesk ensures that its data will not infringe on intellectual property rights and helps creatives empower themselves to hold their positions in companies by helping reduce cost, reduce waste, and be more sustainable.

I know I want to know that the privacy of the projects and the safety of the client’s data is protected in a way that you can trust. At this time, AI is just a starting point for helping to create better solutions and take risks, knowing that there is data to support our choices.

MORE: Firm Profile: NG+P and the Evolution of Architectural Technology

Apple has a reputation for protecting data, which was made apparent when they wouldn’t hack a customer’s phone for the FBI or when they changed how users could control who had their data. Let’s hope the future with AI is not one we fear but can embrace. But that will take strong social responsibility from companies like Adobe, Autodesk, Microsoft, and numerous others, and always put the interest of people and customers ahead of profit.

From this perspective, Autodesk and others have some very big boots to fill to match Apple’s privacy and user data stance, but right now, those possibilities with AI look remarkable and are worth the investment.

 

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End Note

If you like our AU23 coverage in this report or think we have missed something critical, post a comment below.