Autodesk has unveiled a new software program that integrates automation and artificial intelligence-powered insights. Autodesk Forma is described by the company as an “industry cloud” that will use AI to “simplify the exploration of design concepts, offload repetitive tasks, and help evaluate environmental qualities surrounding a building site, giving architects time to focus on creative solutions.”

Forma’s initially-released capabilities target the early-stage planning and design process, with new features and capabilities to be added on a continual basis. For existing Autodesk subscribers, Forma is included in the Autodesk AEC Collection.

Among Forma’s initial capabilities is contextual modeling, which allows users to set up a 3D BIM model of a project area “within minutes” in Forma by either inputting their own design data or buying data sets for selected geographies. Forma’s automation functions will also allow users to use parametric tools to “quickly develop many design concepts and variations to ensure the full solution space is explored.”

Machine learning within Forma will perform real-time analyses of projects including sunlight, daylight, wind, and microclimate, while a Revit add-in provides a file-less sync between the two software, allowing users to detail Forma data in Revit, and bring it back to Forma for analysis.

“Forma gives architecture professionals the agility to work iteratively rather than sequentially between planning and detailed design, supercharging what they can accomplish,” said Amy Bunszel, Executive Vice President of AEC Design Solutions at Autodesk. “From rapidly evaluating a large set of factors–from sun and wind to noise and operational energy–to offloading computational tasks to the cloud and connecting with Revit, Forma unlocks great value for our customers.”

News of Forma’s launch comes weeks after Arup unveiled an immersive new VR experience tool designed to help architects and urban designers experience urban environments from the perspective of small children. In February, meanwhile, Architecture 2030’s new CARE Tool was launched, helping architecture measure the carbon reduction of retrofit projects.

This article is part of the Archinect In-Depth: Artificial Intelligence series.