Connect, Create, Discover: Day 1 at AU 2022

What if all parts of the project lifecycle could share a common data set, a common toolset, and a common platform—whether you’re making a building, a bridge, a car, or a computer? What if you could access and share just the data you need for your role, without sending and receiving massive files—and spending time integrating them? What if you could understand the impact of your design before you took it to completion—on people, communities, and the planet?

These were just a few of the questions that were addressed as Autodesk University 2022 kicked off today in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nearly 10,000 attendees from around the world came together to connect, learn, and explore possible answers to shared challenges, while nearly 11,000 others joined for the digital experience. In classes, meetups, on the main stage, and in the hallways professionals from the fields of architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and media and entertainment gathered to explore trends and innovations that will shape the future of our industries.

 In the General Session, Autodesk President and CEO Andrew Anagnost announced three new industry cloud platforms: Autodesk Forma for architecture, engineering, and construction; Autodesk Flow for media and entertainment; and Autodesk Fusion for product design and manufacturing. These platforms will be important foundations for our solutions moving forward—connecting teams, workflows, and data in new and important ways, making data more granular, and enabling new kinds of collaboration. Underlying all these platforms is Autodesk Platform Services, which until now we’ve known as Forge.

Anagnost was joined by Autodesk customers from across industries who are leading the way to create a more sustainable and resilient world. Meagan Williams, stormwater manager of our host city New Orleans, joined him to share how she has driven changes to local infrastructure to help them remain safe and resilient in the face of changing weather patterns—with a focus on community. And leaders from the British Antarctic Survey, Amazon Studios, BBi Autosport, and more shared how they’re achieving better outcomes by connecting people, processes, and technology.

In the Forge Developer Session, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Raji Arasu and Vice President of Engineering Ben Cochran outlined how Autodesk is helping developers do more with Autodesk Platform Services—formerly known as Forge. They announced plans to usher in a new era of open data by making data granular, interoperable, and accessible—with fresh APIs making it possible. This will open a new world of opportunities for businesses across industries.

In the Expo, key projects from across industries were on full display, allowing visitors to get hands-on with the technologies that are transforming how we design, make, and build—and ask questions of the innovators and their teams who created them. In the Factory, attendees made their own electronic consumer products, using advanced manufacturing processes such as 3D printing and CNC machining, all enabled by Fusion 360.

After hours featured the Women at AU Reception and the Autodesk Excellence Awards, which celebrated Autodesk’s most innovative and inspiring customers.

It’s special being back together at Autodesk University. Connecting data, process, and workflows is the key to the future of design and make industries. After three years online, connecting to each other is something more still. Get some rest and let’s do it again tomorrow.