CMU School of Drama


Thursday, September 17, 2026

How Fusion is Expanding What Product Teams Can Accomplish

Fusion Blog: Many manufacturers have already moved beyond experimentation and have started adopting AI and automation tools in their daily workflows. But even as interest turns into adoption, many teams are still asking practical questions: How do we increase output without adding risk? How do we help experienced people move faster without replacing the judgment they bring? And how do we connect work across engineering and manufacturing without disrupting the tools teams already rely on?

1 comment:

Richard Manne said...

Fusion 360 is adjacent to AutoCAD, both created by Autodesk. As someone familiar with Fusion, I have briefly followed Autodesk’s strategy of integrating AI into the product design workflow within Fusion. I believe the approach they have taken, and continue to take, of focusing on integrating AI as a tool to be harnessed complimentary to the person actually using the design software. There is no plan to implement an AI that will replace the jobs or importance of experienced and beginner product designers, but rather one that supports their design process. This style of approach is what I would like to see with the integration of AI workflow into theatrical design and production. The beginning of the AI era is either upon us or here already. There is no stopping it. This makes integrating AI correctly the first time in the world of design and production of vital importance. A core rule of the stagehand union IATSE is not taking/eliminating jobs that could go to another person. The AI integration strategy of Autodesk in Fusion is the same principle. The use of AI to improve efficiency, not to eliminate jobs.