Nashville, Tennessee, September 17, 2025
News Summary
Autodesk unveiled a major expansion of its Forma platform into a full AECO industry cloud, linking design and construction workflows through cloud-connected, AI-native tools. Demonstrations showed end-to-end workflows from site modeling and cloud simulations to estimating, field issue capture with AI photo features, and handoff into operations with Tandem Insights. New offerings include Forma Board for collaborative design, a Forma Connected Client for Revit, Autodesk Assistant for natural-language project queries, and Autodesk Estimate for preconstruction. The announcements aim to reduce rework, speed decisions, and create a shared data environment across planning, construction, and facilities management.
Autodesk University 2025 Opens in Nashville with Major AECO Cloud and AI Moves
Autodesk University (AU) 2025 opened in Nashville, Tennessee, running September 16–18, with organizers and product teams laying out a wide plan for cloud-connected, AI-native workflows across architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO). The session on the first day introduced a major shift: the Forma platform has been expanded into a comprehensive AECO industry cloud that links design and construction tools and aims to support faster, smarter project delivery.
Top line: a new AECO industry cloud and tighter design-to-construction links
The opening general session focused on how cloud and AI can help firms deal with pressing industry problems like labor gaps, supply chain pressure, and growing demand for buildings. The chief message urged teams to adopt cloud-first, AI-native processes that adapt as projects change. A live demo showed a full end-to-end workflow that began with a sustainable multifamily housing concept and moved through design, estimating, field capture, and into operations.
What was announced and demonstrated
- Forma becomes an AECO industry cloud that now integrates directly with the construction platform to bridge design and build workflows.
- Forma Board was shown as a digital whiteboard option tied to Forma Data Management for real-time group design work.
- Forma Building Design provided continuous, live analysis during detailed design, backed by cloud simulations that run without interrupting desktop work.
- Forma Connected Client marked Revit’s role as the first official connected desktop client, with live analysis of nearby buildings.
- Autodesk Assistant was introduced for Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D to automate routine tasks and answer project questions from expanded data sets; a beta will let users ask natural-language questions about RFIs, submittals, change orders, schedules, and more.
- Autodesk Estimate was shown for preconstruction teams, linking 2D/3D quantities to cost lines and demonstrating market-driven updates to concrete pricing.
- New field mobile tools and an AI photo feature were shown to speed issue capture and create prefilled records automatically.
- Tandem Insights was used in the demo to shift a project into operations, giving facility teams dashboards for performance, manuals, warranties, and spatial context.
Live demo details that matter
The demo began with a site created from standard terrain data enhanced by expanded GIS extensions. Cloud simulations ran quietly in the background while the design team worked on the desktop, showing a connected path from desktop modeling to cloud-based analysis. A pre-beta feature was shown on stage, and the product teams emphasized partner extensions across the AECO technology ecosystem.
Real projects and use cases
A video case highlighted work at a major airport, where cloud tools helped coordinate hundreds of contractors and thousands of contributors. The airport use case showed how a unified digital stack can surface issues early, streamline communication, and keep a single source of truth for many active projects at once. Other sessions and case examples on the agenda covered estimating integrations, national rollouts for subcontractors, 5D dashboards on large airport projects, and fabrication-ready MEP workflows.
Sessions, learning, and practical tools
The event catalog offers hundreds of sessions on topics such as data and analytics, cost control, AI in construction, digital twins, schedule management, and fabricaton-ready modeling. Product teams from the construction platform were set to be available on the expo floor and on stage to answer technical and workflow questions. Sessions will also cover migration tools for moving project data to regional data centers and integrations that reduce double entry with financial systems.
Dates, place, and attendance notes
The in-person conference in Nashville is positioned as a chance to see live demos, meet product teams, and attend hands-on workshops. Attendees were encouraged to register by a specified discount deadline to save on registration fees. The event program also emphasized networking, practical takeaways for subcontractors, and learning tracks for preconstruction and operations teams.
What this means for AECO firms
The announcements point to a push for a single, shared data environment across project stages: planning, design, construction, and operations. The goals shown were to reduce duplicate work, bring real-time analysis into design decisions, shorten feedback loops in the field, and make handoff into operations more actionable with connected dashboards and asset views.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AU 2025?
AU 2025 is an in-person industry conference running September 16–18 focused on design and construction technology, product updates, hands-on workshops, and networking.
What major platform change was announced?
The Forma platform was expanded into a comprehensive AECO industry cloud and shown integrating directly with a construction cloud to link design and build workflows.
What new AI tools were shown?
New AI features include an assistant for Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D to automate tasks and answer project questions, and a photo-based AI tool for field issue capture. A beta was announced that brings natural-language queries to expanded project data.
How does the demo show design-to-operations flow?
The demo started with site modeling, moved through design with live cloud analysis, went into preconstruction estimating, showed field capture tools, and ended with operational dashboards and asset insight using a digital twin environment.
Who benefits from these changes?
Architects, engineers, contractors, estimators, field teams, and facility managers can all use the connected data environment to reduce rework, speed decisions, and move toward proactive operations.
How can I learn more or attend sessions?
The event offers session tracks, hands-on labs, and an expo floor where attendees can meet product teams and partners for deeper demonstrations and integration conversations.
Key features at a glance
| Feature | What it does | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Forma AECO Industry Cloud | Provides a shared platform for planners, designers, and builders to work from a single data source. | Planning, design, preconstruction, handoff to construction |
| Forma Board | Digital whiteboard tied to project data for live collaboration and decision making. | Design workshops, stakeholder reviews |
| Forma Connected Client (Revit) | Enables live analysis from the desktop with cloud-backed simulations. | Detailed design, context analysis |
| Autodesk Assistant | AI assistant for automating tasks, querying project data, and drafting routine communications. | Design, project management, admin tasks |
| Autodesk Estimate | Links takeoffs to cost lines for faster preconstruction estimates and updates. | Estimating, cost planning |
| Cloud simulations | Run analyses in the cloud while designers continue working on the desktop. | Performance studies, energy, daylight, massing tests |
| Field mobile tools & AI photo capture | Capture progress photos and generate issue records automatically from images. | Field reporting, quality control, issue tracking |
| Tandem Insights | Operational dashboards that combine performance, manuals, and warranty data for facility teams. | Facility management, preventive maintenance |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Autodesk Blog: AU 2025 — Top Autodesk Construction Announcements
- Wikipedia: Autodesk University
- Autodesk Blog: Register Now for Autodesk University 2025
- Google Search: Autodesk University 2025 registration
- Autodesk Blog: Top Sessions for Project Managers at AU 2025
- Google Scholar: Autodesk University 2025 project management
- Autodesk Blog: Session Preview — Preconstruction at AU 2025
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Preconstruction
- Autodesk Blog: AU 2025 Top Sessions for Subcontractors
- Google News: Autodesk Forma AECO industry cloud
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