Autodesk’s strategy is to converge design, make, and operate across a continuous lifecycle. To help bring this strategy to life, the company has announced Autodesk Operations Solutions (AOS), which brings together the company’s operations capabilities under a unified strategy. To help strengthen this effort, Autodesk has also entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MaintainX, a leading computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) solution. While the transaction remains subject to regulatory reviews and other closing conditions, Autodesk’s focus is clear: helping customers connect workflows, capture real-world performance, and improve outcomes across the lifecycle. We spoke with Stephen Hooper, senior vice president of AOS, about why operations is a strategic priority and what it takes to make that vision real.
SH: AOS brings together the company’s operations capabilities–digital twins, operational planning and execution, and performance analysis–in one organization and within a unified platform. For many years, different phases of the lifecycle have been managed separately. In practice, however, they’re deeply connected. Decisions made early on have a direct impact on performance over time, and what’s learned in operations should inform future decisions. Our focus is to strengthen that connection and build an organization that supports it over time, making the operational phase a more central part of how the platform works overall. As for timing, it’s no surprise that with the rise of AI, there’s a broad shift toward more data-driven ways of operating. Organizations need better visibility into performance and workflows that are less fragmented and more aligned with how work actually gets done.
SH: Closing the loop means connecting what was intended with what was created with how it performs over time. And it’s that last piece that is critical. Today, that connection is often incomplete. Information is spread across different systems, and it doesn’t always flow in a way that supports learning and improvement. Part of the challenge is the nature of operations. It takes place in real-world environments that are dynamic and often unpredictable. The systems used there have historically been siloed, point solutions, designed to solve specific problems. And working with siloed data and point solutions can only get you so far. As our experience in both the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) and design and manufacturing (D&M) industries has shown us: when data flows seamlessly across all phases, you can achieve breakthrough productivity gains.
SH: What stood out most is its position within operational workflows. As a leading solution in the CMMS space, MaintainX is embedded in day-to-day operational execution. It supports planning, execution, and tracking, while capturing real-time information about how operations are performing. This gives direct visibility into what’s really happening, not just what was intended. It also brings together a layer of operational data that’s been difficult to access and connect across the lifecycle. That aligns strongly with our AOS vision, and it’s a big part of what made MaintainX stand out as a strong addition to what we’re building with AOS.
SH: AI depends on the quality and completeness of the data behind it. Operational data provides the context that’s often missing. It shows how assets perform and how work gets done in real environments. When that data is connected across the lifecycle, you can identify patterns, surface insights more quickly, and make more informed decisions. It’s not just about having more data. It’s about enabling better decisions and actions in the moment. Our focus is on making AI practical and actionable by grounding it in real-world data and integrating it into the workflows where work happens.
SH: Success is a more connected lifecycle experience. For customers, that means better visibility into performance, more efficient workflows, and the ability to make informed decisions more quickly. It also means that operational insights are used to improve how operations are planned, designed, and managed over time, creating a continuous cycle of improvement rather than a series of disconnected steps. From my perspective, success is building an organization that can consistently deliver that value at scale.