Ansys AI+
With the advancement of AI technologies and the business goal of expanding the customer base, several Ansys products began incorporating AI-driven features. I actively engaged in these initiatives, leading the development of forward-thinking concepts that extend beyond the day-to-day design work for Ansys Discovery. These visionary and future-driven AI projects were introduced to support the long-term product strategy and enhance Ansys's competitive edge.
Introducing proactive AI and passive AI and integrating AI in a more ambient, user-friendly way.
Featured Projects
01.3D-Scene Based AI Assistant
Problems
The commonly seen chatbot type of assistant can be cumbersome for users to navigate between 3D scenes and the chatbot interface
Scene based intelligence cannot be well addressed
Goals
To bring AI assistant to the next level for 3D software with seamlessness
To allow future emerging technology integration, including generative AI and mixed reality
What I did
Conducted research on cutting-edge technologies and conducted competitive analysis
Led the conceptual design end-to-end
Scene-based AI input box allowing command based on 3D models
Contextual intelligence guidance
Impact
—
Presented to the leadership team and was well received;
Reshaped the strategy of incorporating AI
02.Auto Fill/Fix
Problems
Users need to search for external resources when they have errors or missing values
Multiple trials not leading to success can be frustrating
Goals
To automate the fixing process for users as intelligent as possible
To integrate proactive AI in a more ambient way to gain users' trust on AI features
What I did
Led the conceptual design end-to-end
Worked with developers to validate the back-end support
Auto-generated value for missing material values (one example of auto fill/fix)
Impact
—
Presented in the company innovation meeting;
Sub-concept has been integrated into the upcoming release plan
03.AI Brand Strategy
Goals
To emphasize the power of AI and bring awareness of Ansys's effort toward cutting-edge technologies
To establish a standard for AI-relevant styling and user interface
What I did
Conducted research with multiple teams working on AI functionalities
Adovacated for AI branding across business units
Contributed to the development of an AI-focused sub-design system
Impact
—
Influenced interface changes across two product teams;
Raised awareness to the product leadership team about AI branding; Contributed to the organizational design language evolvement
Takeaways
Explore beyond the domain
While analyzing competitors within the same domain is a standard approach, looking outside it can spark transformative ideas. When researching novel AI approaches, I found inspiration from diverse fields beyond engineering, such as 3D creation tools, game engines, architectural and GIS software, and mixed reality applications. This cross-domain exploration introduced fresh perspectives that enriched my work, and the brand strategy initiative is also a cross-domain example leveraging my background in advertising.
Reimagine AI
While there is a trend developing human-like, chat-based AI assistants, there can be other AI approaches for our product. In the engineering field, where users prioritize accuracy and reliability, a more machine-like AI sometimes can build greater trust. While making AI highly visible can highlight product advancements, a more subtle integration might better align with users' existing mental models and workflow expectations. There can be multiple solutions.