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 Announcements
Autodesk University (AU) 2025 opened in Nashville, Tennessee, running September 16–18, 2025, and launched a week of sessions, demos, and partner meetups focused on design, construction, and operations in the built environment. The opening General Session framed a new push toward cloud-connected, AI-native workflows that connect design through construction and into operations.
Top lines from Day 1
The conference keynote highlighted the evolution of Autodesk Forma into a comprehensive AECO industry cloud that now integrates directly with Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC). The session presented a live end-to-end workflow, new AI tools for desktop and cloud, and demos showing how design and construction can operate from a shared, living source of truth.
Major product additions and integrations
Key product news included the expanded role of Forma as an AECO cloud, tighter integration with ACC, and new tools intended to automate repetitive work and surface context-rich project intelligence. New and updated offerings shown or announced onstage included:
- Forma Board — a digital whiteboard tied to Forma Data Management for real-time collaboration and decision making.
- Forma Building Design — continuous, real-time analysis during the detailed design phase.
- Forma Connected Client — Revit demonstrated as the first connected client with live analysis of adjacent buildings and cloud simulations running without interrupting design workflows.
- Autodesk Assistant — an AI-powered assistant coming to Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D, plus an expanded beta that answers natural-language questions across project data such as RFIs, submittals, change orders, schedules, and specifications.
- Autodesk Estimate — a preconstruction tool linking 2D/3D takeoffs directly to estimates to speed budget decisions; a demo updated concrete pricing in real time to reflect recent market calls.
- New mobile field tools and AI photo capture to auto-populate issue forms and speed documentation on site.
- Tandem Insights — operations-focused dashboards that consolidate warranties, manuals, performance metrics and spatial context to move teams from reactive to proactive maintenance.
Live demo highlights
The main demonstration followed a project from early site work through operations. It began with an architect launching a sustainable multifamily housing project and creating the site using standard terrain data enhanced by Esri ArcGIS extensions. Cloud-based simulations and background analysis were shown running without interrupting desktop design activities. A pre-beta client and features were revealed on stage to illustrate how desktop and cloud environments can be bridged seamlessly.
AI and automation in practice
AI was framed as a strategic imperative to handle labor shortages, supply-chain strain, and rising building demand. Demonstrations included automated sheet generation, contextual email drafting to trade partners, and natural-language project queries that pull answers from expanded project data. In the estimating demo, a pricing update reflected local market calls, showing how estimating and takeoff connect to dynamic cost inputs.
Operations and real-world usage
Operations scenarios used Tandem Insights to analyze equipment, summarize data about a heat recovery unit, and present a facility manager with a consolidated dashboard. A featured case study showcased a major airport using the Forma and ACC combination to coordinate hundreds of contractors and thousands of team members, unify Revit and facility models, and track hundreds of active projects concurrently.
Partner ecosystem, sessions, and case studies
Presentations and sessions spanned integrations, fabrication-ready MEP workflows, AI in construction, cost control, digital twin development, and hands-on use cases from general contractors, subcontractors, and owners. Notable practical examples included cloud migrations, national rollouts of ACC, integrated cost management ecosystems, and fabrication workflows aimed at reducing waste and accelerating field installation.
What attendees can expect
The event emphasized in-person learning and networking, with product teams available on the expo floor and hundreds of sessions covering analytics, schedule management, AI, and digital operations. Registration details were provided with a limited-time discount through an early registration deadline.
Context and takeaways
The opening session framed the industry’s urgent pressures and presented integrated cloud and AI tools as pathways to greater efficiency, resilience, and capacity. Demonstrations aimed to show how shared data, automated workflows, and role-based dashboards can reduce friction across design, construction, and operations.
FAQ
What is the main announcement from AU 2025?
The conference announced Autodesk Forma evolving into a comprehensive AECO industry cloud integrated with Autodesk Construction Cloud, along with new AI tools for design, estimating, and field workflows.
When and where is AU 2025?
AU 2025 takes place September 16–18, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.
What new AI tools were revealed?
New capabilities include Autodesk Assistant for natural-language project queries, expanded AI features in field photo capture, and AI-driven automation for common tasks in Revit, AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
How does Forma connect to construction workflows?
Forma now integrates directly with ACC, allowing design and construction teams to share a common data environment, use role-based dashboards, and run cloud analyses that inform decisions across both phases.
Are there hands-on sessions and partners?
Yes. The program includes hundreds of sessions, partner demonstrations on the expo floor, and case studies from owners, contractors, and subcontractors showing practical deployments.
Is there a registration deadline for discounts?
Early registration discounts were announced with a deadline; check the official event registration channels for current pricing and availability.
Key Features at a Glance
| Feature | What it does | Where demonstrated or used |
|---|---|---|
| Autodesk Forma AECO Industry Cloud | Platform for project-level planning, design analysis, and cross-discipline collaboration. | General Session demo and product updates. |
| Integration with Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) | Bridges design and construction data into a single workflow and data environment. | Announced as core to the Forma vision. |
| Autodesk Assistant | AI assistant that automates tasks and answers natural-language queries across project data. | Demoed across Revit, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and ACC beta. |
| Autodesk Estimate | Links 2D/3D takeoffs directly to estimates for faster preconstruction decisions. | Preconstruction demo with dynamic pricing update. |
| Forma Board | Digital whiteboard for collaborative design decisions tied to data management. | Part of the Forma collaboration showcase. |
| Forma Connected Client (Revit) | Desktop client connected to cloud analysis and simulations running in the background. | Live stage demo analyzing adjacent buildings. |
| Cloud simulations & background analysis | Runs models and analysis without interrupting local design workflows. | Shown during the end-to-end demonstration. |
| Field mobile AI and dashboards | AI photo capture, role-based dashboards for cost/quality/safety/schedule, and project insights from site data. | Field tool demos and dashboard builder walkthroughs. |
| Tandem Insights | Operations dashboards consolidating asset info, manuals, and performance for proactive maintenance. | Operational demo with equipment analysis and airport case study. |
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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