Autodesk at Goldman Sachs communacopia + technology: ai drives growth

Autodesk, a technology company, discussed its strategy at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2026. The company aims to expand its role in the design, make, and operate workflow by leveraging AI, platform integration, and a broader push into operations. Autodesk's CEO, Andrew Anagnost, and CFO, Janesh Moorjani, highlighted the company's focus on turning its recent reset into faster growth, stronger operating leverage, and deeper involvement in various stages of the design and production process.

The company has shifted its focus from renewal to new business growth and expansion. AI is seen as a tool to enhance customer productivity and increase the value of Autodesk's products, rather than a threat to job security. Consumption revenue now accounts for about 16%-17% of total revenue, with room for growth. The company aims to return around 50% of free cash flow to shareholders annually.

While industrial, infrastructure, and data center demand are holding up, commercial real estate remains softer. Autodesk reiterated its goal of achieving a 41% non-GAAP operating margin in fiscal 2029. The company plans to expand its product portfolio beyond design software, incorporating design, production, and operations through project intelligence.

Autodesk's AI strategy centers around automation, models, and an agent-first assistant. They are developing task automation, workflow automation, and system automation to increase seat value and drive consumption. Neural CAD models are being created to automate design tasks efficiently and accurately. The company also emphasized the integration of AI into workflows and the importance of keeping seat counts stable while improving productivity.