Autodesk confirms Forma will replace Revit 'over time'
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Top story
Most principals haven't opened Forma in the last month. Autodesk just gave them a reason to start planning when they will. At its AU conference this week, the company answered its own FAQ directly: will Forma replace Revit? "Over time, yes." Revit carries on for now as a production tool, designated a "Forma Connected Client," but Autodesk's long-term development path is now on record rather than buried in a roadmap. The company's argument is that general AI trained on internet data lacks the project context that AEC work requires, and that pulling all project history, decisions, and live information into Forma is what makes its AI worth using. By saying this plainly, Autodesk has also validated the case its BIM competitors were founded on.
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Quick hits
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ToolingAutodesk gives Civil 3D and Forma a shared coordinate system
A new shared geopositioning layer ties Civil 3D, Forma, and Revit to the same real-world coordinates across a project. Autodesk announced the feature alongside Civil 3D's designation as a Forma Connected Client at AU this week. Firms managing large-site projects where civil and building models need to align will feel this first. -
ResearchSuffolk and MIT identify six areas where AI cuts construction cost and schedule
A paper from Suffolk Construction and MIT maps six interconnected areas where AI can reduce construction cost and schedule time, with gains in any one tending to produce additional benefits elsewhere across a project timeline. -
Tooling
Claude merges Cowork and chat into a single product
Claude's Cowork and standard chat interfaces are becoming one product, available first to Pro and Max subscribers over the coming weeks on web, desktop, and mobile. The merged version handles ongoing background tasks and continues working after you close the app, which matters for anyone using Claude to draft specs, proposals, or project correspondence with a deadline. -
LiabilityAutodesk embeds AI Transparency Cards inside its Assistant
Autodesk has embedded AI Transparency Cards inside its Assistant, making the information accessible while using a feature rather than requiring a separate search. Each card covers what an AI feature does, what data it was trained on, its limitations, and what protections apply. When a client or insurer asks a firm to document how AI contributed to a deliverable, these cards are now the starting point for that answer.
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New tools & releases
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ToolingEndra Power Studio automates electrical design and outputs a Revit model
Stockholm-based Endra has released Power Studio, which takes a building model and project requirements and produces a complete electrical design, including Revit models, shop drawings, panelboard schedules, and single-line diagrams. The company claims it can complete electrical design for a 500,000 sq ft commercial building in under a day; firms with in-house MEP engineers or close electrical subconsultants are the primary audience.
Most firm-relevant AI news this week came from Autodesk University, which concentrated coverage toward a single source. Only one tool qualified today.