How Autodesk took AI from experimentation to real-world application

AI’s transformative role at Autodesk: Autodesk, a global leader in design and engineering software, is embracing AI to enhance productivity and innovation across its operations and customer offerings.

• Prakash Kota, Autodesk’s CIO for seven years, views AI as critical to automating and enhancing insights for customers, aligning with the company’s mission of designing a better world.
• As Autodesk aims to grow from its current $6 billion annual revenue to $10 billion, scalable AI applications have become increasingly urgent.

Transitioning from experimentation to production: Autodesk is moving beyond the experimental phase of AI, focusing on implementing it at scale across the organization.

• The company emphasizes that successful AI implementation requires more than just technology; it necessitates careful change management and cross-functional alignment.
• Kota stresses the importance of preparing employees for new ways of working and adapting to evolving roles as AI becomes integral to business strategy.

Balanced approach to AI solutions: Autodesk employs a mix of off-the-shelf and tailored AI solutions to meet its diverse needs.

• The company prefers to buy solutions when possible but evaluates each use case to determine the best fit.
• Autodesk leverages products from established vendors and startups for applications like internal search and chatbots, customizing them as needed.
• Rather than committing to a single large language model (LLM), Autodesk experiments with different models for various use cases, ensuring flexibility and relevance.

Cost management and efficiency: Autodesk focuses on maintaining cost efficiency while scaling its AI capabilities.

• The company favors consumption-based pricing models to avoid underutilized “shelfware” and aims for usage rates of 80-90%.
• This cautious approach aligns with Autodesk’s broader strategy of increasing both efficiency and effectiveness.

Driving adoption and new ways of working: Autodesk is actively promoting AI adoption across various departments, from Finance to Customer Support.

• The company uses gamification, peer recognition, and structured learning paths to engage employees in AI skill development.
• Goals and incentives have been realigned to reflect AI-driven changes, such as customer support agents now handling multiple chats simultaneously with AI assistance.

Collaborative governance and co-creation: Autodesk has established a framework for AI governance that encourages collaboration across teams.

• The company’s Center of Excellence sets guidelines for privacy, security, and core principles integrated into every AI initiative.
• An “Idea to Implementation” (I2I) framework encourages employees to pitch ideas based on expected outcomes rather than focusing solely on technology.

AI Explorer site and learning resources: To accelerate AI learning, Autodesk has launched an AI Explorer site with tailored resources for different roles within the company.

• The site hosts use cases, best practices, and learning materials customized for various functions.
• This self-paced learning resource is part of a company-wide push to prepare for increased AI integration.

Focus on augmenting employee capabilities: Autodesk’s AI strategy prioritizes enhancing employee experience and productivity rather than cost-cutting.

• The company views AI as a means to augment employees’ work, allowing them to focus on more meaningful tasks.
• Tools like GitHub Copilot are gradually being integrated into engineers’ workflows, with adoption rising from single digits to nearly 40% acceptance in production.

AI as part of Autodesk’s DNA: The strategic integration of AI is reshaping Autodesk’s operating model and corporate identity.

• By carefully blending bought and built solutions with robust governance, Autodesk is aligning its AI capabilities with its growth trajectory.
• The company aims to embed AI deeply into its operations, viewing it not as an add-on but as an integral part of its identity and future success.