AI is the golden ticket for every company

Simulation is based on the laws of physics. Physics-based simulations offer the great advantage of being able to test hundreds of different product designs without the need for physical prototypes. The problem: for a complex product, the simulation process can take thousands of hours. With AI, it is now possible to speed up the entire simulation process by a factor of 100 and thus greatly increase efficiency, especially for complex products. However, this is only possible with sufficient data training via AI engineering, which Gartner defines as one of its top strategic trends.

In AI engineering in the field of simulation, the simulation program is fed several use cases (e.g. valves with different input and boundary conditions) that lead to different results. However, the amount of training data required for simulation is overwhelming, so many engineers simply turn their backs on simulation. This process can be optimized by using software that solves partial differential equations based on machine learning and thus achieves the required high level of accuracy with significantly less data. This faster and more efficient type of simulation will pave the way for the product development of the future.

Generative design is all the rage among experts because it allows engineers to present an idea and define the constraints on the design framework so that an algorithm can deliver thousands of possible designs that meet those constraints. Topology optimization is a common application of generative design. However, with generative AI, a program can use existing information - CAD models, images, text, videos, etc. - to generate new ideas on a large scale.

Thanks to fast simulation, these designs can be created in a very short time and the computer suggests the best designs, which in turn saves a lot of time and money. Similar to the recommendations you get after searching for a product on Amazon, generative AI offers design recommendations that you would not have come up with otherwise. The resulting boost in creativity will prove important for companies in 2022 and beyond to keep pace with ever-changing market demands.

Reach for the stars and you will arrive in the cloud

Without the cloud, efficient collaboration has become almost unthinkable. With engineers often spread across the globe, design updates are sent back and forth via complex email chains, inevitably stifling creativity. By moving design software to the cloud, engineers can work simultaneously on a single design. Design, simulation and artificial intelligence can be brought together in the cloud, allowing engineers to collaborate in real time, resulting in a more accurate and faster design process.

Concerns are often expressed about data security in relation to cloud storage. With most existing systems, data security is in the hands of the few cyber experts in a company. In the cloud, data is protected by thousands of security experts from leading companies, ensuring a much higher standard of security. Fear of the unknown should not be a deterrent in the case of the cloud.

The tip of the scales? Data.

There are many indications that the cloud will play an even greater role this year. In the past, the cost of data storage was so high that only a limited amount of training data was stored and used for AI, which affected the accuracy of the results. Thanks to the cloud, large amounts of data can be stored almost for free and AI applications can be better trained for lower costs. Thanks to simulation, we now have access to many different types of data, and with the availability of open source data, the possibilities for advancements in AI and simulation are enormous.

AI is no substitute for human developers and engineers, but it will make them even more powerful. The technology allows us to extend our own capabilities. Before calculators, we had to rely on mental arithmetic and written equations; before AI, we had to rely on manual trial and error. Companies using data-driven AI engineering and generative AI, working together in the cloud, will pave the way for a new wave of innovation in 2022.

Prith Banerjee, CTO of Ansys