I’m still digesting everything I saw and heard at Autodesk University 2025. Each year, AU gives us a glimpse into Autodesk’s evolving strategy, and this year’s PLM Summit felt like an important chapter in that story.
I’ve been following Autodesk’s PLM strategy for several years now, starting with my reflection on the AU 2023 PLM Summit – How Autodesk Will Develop New PLM and continuing with my AU 2024 insights on Autodesk’s Design and Manufacturing Software Strategy.
This year I’m continuing that journey, sharing how Autodesk’s vision has evolved further and what I’ve learned at AU 2025 about Fusion-led PLM.
Earlier this month I also posted two reflections from AU 2025 that set the stage:
- AaaS – Agent as a Service from Autodesk Platform Services Summit – my notes on Autodesk’s first steps to bring agent-driven workflows into their platform.
- Autodesk AI – Everything Changed Again? – a look at Autodesk’s AI momentum and why I compared it to the “cloud moment” of 2011.
Today, I want to focus on Autodesk’s PLM strategy as it was presented at the Summit and share my take on where Fusion-led PLM is heading.
Fusion as Autodesk’s Manufacturing Platform
A strong theme at AU 2025 was that Autodesk Fusion is no longer “just” a design toolset — it’s becoming the central manufacturing platform.
Autodesk is clearly positioning Fusion as the hub for end-to-end manufacturing workflows. The core stack is now:
- Autodesk Platform Services (APS) – the foundation that delivers shared data, APIs, and microservices.
- A Manufacturing Data Model that can describe products and processes across the lifecycle.
- Fusion applications — the core portfolio (Inventor, Vault, Fusion Manage, CAM, Inspection, etc.) and a growing network of integrations with partners.
This framing of Fusion as a platform — not just a single product — is a meaningful shift. It puts data and connectivity at the center rather than separate, siloed apps.
The “3C” Vision: Connected Engineering, Organization, Ecosystem
One of the slides that resonated most with me highlighted Autodesk’s “3C” Vision:
- Connected Engineering
- Connected Organization
- Connected Ecosystem
The emphasis on connected is powerful. It recognizes what most existing PLM tools and architectures struggle with: disconnection — engineering data in one silo, manufacturing data in another, supplier collaboration in yet another.
Autodesk’s message is that Fusion + APS should break down those walls by delivering a common data backbone that spans engineering teams, internal business functions, and external partners.
Granular Data as the Foundation
A recurring point throughout the Summit was that granularity of data matters.
Slides showing “Granular Data, Attributes & Relationships” illustrated how parts, assemblies, drawings, renders, G-code, inspection plans, and work instructions can all be treated as first-class connected objects.
The shift away from monolithic documents toward graph-like product structures is critical. It’s the kind of foundation needed to support modern digital threads, analytics, and eventually AI-driven workflows.
Examples of the Connected World
Several demo slides made these concepts tangible:
On-Prem PDM + Cloud PLM: a diagram showed Vault Professional on the left, Fusion Manage on the right, with Items & BOM bridging them — highlighting how Autodesk is connecting legacy on-premises PDM with its cloud PLM layer.
The colorful EBOM / MBOM / SBOM cube illustrated the vision of “One Source of Truth” where engineering, manufacturing, and service BOMs can be managed in sync.
Vision Trifecta: Vault + Fusion Manage + external Vendors & Engineers working through the cloud — a practical picture of how APS could unite stakeholders.
Custom Apps & Ecosystem: examples such as COOL Orange’s Vault Review App and the mention of Fusion Manage acquiring OneIPM show that Autodesk’s platform can support partners building domain-specific extensions.
These snapshots portray Autodesk’s strategy of meeting existing customers where they are (Vault) while pulling them toward a connected, cloud-based PLM future.
Fusion + APS as the PLM Backbone
What ties all these stories together is Autodesk Platform Services.
APS is evolving into the “data plane” that can host product structures, relationships, BOM views, and workflows that span across the Fusion portfolio and beyond.
For me, this year’s PLM Summit confirmed that Autodesk’s PLM vision is maturing — APS is no longer just an API layer, it’s becoming the architectural backbone for PLM.
My Take: Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
While the direction is encouraging, I see both opportunities and challenges.
1. The Vision Is Maturing…
APS now provides a solid foundation for future PLM capabilities. The focus on granular connected data and the 3C vision shows Autodesk understands where PLM must go.
2. …But Applications Are Still Fragmented
The reality today is still split between Vault and Fusion Manage, each with its own data model and user experience. The lack of a native cloud PDM option and separate Fusion Manage model remain two major gaps for customers who want a single unified environment.
3. Technology Opportunity
Autodesk has an opening to build a flexible product model that is natively integrated with APS, avoiding the limitations of the older Vault and Fusion Manage (Data Stay) technology layers. A modern, unified model would enable richer automation, analytics, and AI.
4. Go-to-Market Opportunity
Another big lever is broadening the PLM play beyond Fusion Design customers. If Autodesk can replicate the disruptive SaaS business model that made Fusion Design successful — but apply it to PLM — it could win SMB/SME manufacturers who use SolidWorks, Solid Edge, or Creo today.
This approach could expand the PLM addressable market without fighting entrenched enterprise PLM incumbents head-on.
What is my conclusion? A White-Space PLM Opportunity
In my Beyond PLM this year on PLM Growth Strategy – Lessons from Psychology & Propaganda I argued that the biggest PLM opportunity lies in new, underserved markets, not in trying to rip-and-replace legacy enterprise PLM.
Autodesk now finds itself in a position similar to its 2011 moment when Fusion’s business model disrupted the CAD market.
If the company applies that same disruptive thinking to PLM — focusing on cloud-driven collaboration, granular data, and affordable subscription models — it could carve out a new market share in the PLM white space.
That’s the real takeaway I brought home from the AU 2025 PLM Summit: Autodesk’s Fusion-led PLM story is steadily coming together, but the true growth potential will depend on how boldly they act on the platform vision they unveiled this year.
Just my thoughts…
Best, Oleg
Disclaimer: I’m the co-founder and CEO of OpenBOM, a digital-thread platform providing cloud-native collaborative and integration services between engineering tools including PDM, PLM, and ERP capabilities. Interested in OpenBOM AI Agent Beta – check with me about what is the future of Agentic Engineering Workflows.
With extensive experience in federated CAD-PDM and PLM architecture, I advocate for agile, open product models and cloud technologies in manufacturing. My opinion can be unintentionally biased.
