How AI Is Reshaping Product Development: Fusion Sessions You Can’t Miss at AU 2026

Shannon McGarry September 2, 2026

6 min read

Explore Autodesk Fusion sessions at AU 2026 covering AI-assisted design, engineering, manufacturing, and product development, and see how teams are combining AI with human expertise.

The most successful design and manufacturing teams are using AI to automate repetitive tasks, generate options, analyze data, and accelerate workflows, while relying on human creativity, engineering judgment, and manufacturing expertise to make the final decisions.

That’s why Autodesk University 2026 features an exciting lineup of Fusion-focused AI sessions that explore not only what’s possible today, but how designers and manufacturers can apply AI responsibly and effectively in their own workflows.

Whether you’re attending in person or joining virtually, these sessions provide valuable opportunities to see how AI is transforming design and manufacturing today.

Why AI matters now

Manufacturing teams continue to face pressure to deliver products faster, manage growing complexity, reduce costs, and bring new ideas to market ahead of competitors.

At the same time, engineers and designers often spend significant amounts of time on repetitive tasks such as creating geometry, generating drawings, researching components, programming toolpaths, managing revisions, and documenting decisions.

AI offers an opportunity to reduce that burden. Instead of replacing designers and engineers, AI can help teams:

Many of the AI-focused sessions at AU 2026 center on this theme: helping humans work smarter, not removing humans from the process. Let’s take a look at some session you don’t want to miss.

Beyond Automation: AI Collaboration with Autodesk Assistant

Tuesday, September 15 | 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

If you’re curious about how AI is being integrated directly into product development workflows, this is one of the most important sessions to attend.

The session explores how Autodesk Fusion AI Assistant can help accelerate early-stage design exploration through capabilities such as text-to-CAD workflows, workflow automation, and AI-assisted development processes.

You’ll learn:

What makes this session especially compelling is its balanced perspective. It focuses on how human expertise and AI workflows can complement each other.

AI-Connected Workflows: Fusion, Claude, and MCP 101

Interested in putting AI to work in real engineering and manufacturing workflows? This introductory session explores how Autodesk Fusion, Claude, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) can work together to help teams automate tasks, connect data, and create more context-aware workflows across product development and manufacturing. MCP enables secure connections between AI systems, tools, and data sources, while Fusion and Claude demonstrate what becomes possible when conversational AI can interact with engineering workflows and design information.

You’ll learn about:

Whether you’re exploring AI for the first time or looking to better connect engineering data and processes, this session provides a practical introduction to the technologies shaping the next generation of product development workflows.

Furniture at the Speed of AI with Autodesk Fusion

Thursday, September 17 | 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

This session demonstrates connecting AI-assisted design directly to manufacturing. You’ll see how prompt-based workflows can help generate parametric furniture models that move seamlessly into engineering, CAM programming, and production workflows.

Key takeaways include:

For manufacturing professionals, this session highlights how AI can accelerate development without sacrificing design intent or engineering rigor.

From Prompt to Production: Designing Help Lead Autodesk Fusion into the Future

Wednesday, September 16 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM PDT

Want a say in where Fusion is headed next? This interactive session gives attendees the opportunity to engage directly with Autodesk teams, explore emerging AI-driven capabilities, and provide feedback that can help shape product direction.

You’ll gain early visibility into:

If you’re interested in influencing future development priorities, this is one of the most valuable sessions on the schedule.

Help Lead Autodesk Fusion into the Future

Wednesday, September 16 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM PDT

Want a say in where Fusion is headed next? This interactive session gives attendees the opportunity to engage directly with Autodesk teams, explore emerging AI-driven capabilities, and provide feedback that can help shape product direction.

You’ll gain early visibility into:

If you’re interested in influencing future development priorities, this is one of the most valuable sessions on the schedule.

AI-Assisted CAM for Prototype Shops: Accelerating Fusion Workflows with CloudNC

Thursday, September 17 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PDT

Manufacturing workflows are also becoming more automated. This session explores how AI-assisted CAM workflows can help automate toolpath generation and reduce programming time in high-mix prototype environments.

You’ll learn strategies for:

For machining and manufacturing professionals, this session offers practical examples of AI delivering measurable workflow improvements.

From Design to Reality: How Avnet’s AI Tools Are Making Better Engineering Decisions Earlier

Thursday, September 17 | 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM PDT

One of the most significant opportunities for AI lies in helping teams make smarter decisions earlier. This session explores how AI-driven component intelligence can support:

The ability to evaluate manufacturability, sourcing risk, and cost earlier in development can help teams avoid costly redesigns later.

From AI Concept to Product Development: Partner Innovation in Autodesk Fusion

Thursday, September 17 | 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

This strategy-focused panel brings together leaders from Vizcom, Avnet, and Naya Studio to discuss how AI is changing conceptual design and early product development.

Topics include:

If you’re interested in understanding where AI-powered product development is headed over the next several years, this session should be on your list.

Don’t miss the larger message

Across all these sessions, a common theme emerges: AI performs best when it complements human expertise.

Designers still define intent. Engineers still validate performance. Manufacturing teams still determine process feasibility.

AI simply helps those experts work faster, evaluate more options, and spend less time on repetitive tasks.

The organizations gaining the most value from AI aren’t removing people from the process. They empower people with better tools.

Join us at Autodesk University 2026

Whether you’re attending in person or planning to participate virtually, Autodesk University 2026 offers an opportunity to learn directly from product experts, customers, partners, and industry leaders who are actively applying AI across design and manufacturing workflows.

If AI is on your roadmap for 2027 and beyond, now is the time to understand how these technologies are evolving and where they can create the most value for your team.

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