Virtual Roundtable
AI and AI-Driven Automation in Engineering and Virtual Validation
September 24, 2026 | 1:00 pm ET / 10:00 am PT
AI in engineering is no longer an experimentation initiative. It is a strategic capability for accelerating innovation with confidence.
The operative question is no longer whether to apply AI to engineering workflows, but whether your validation stack can move at the speed of AI-driven design exploration, while maintaining the rigor, governance, and human-in-the-loop trust the business requires.
IDC and Ansys, part of Synopsys, will convene a curated group of senior engineering, R&D, and digital-engineering leaders for a candid, peer-level virtual roundtable, sharing intelligence, challenging assumptions, and leaving with a clearer path forward.
According to IDC
50% of R&D and engineering organizations have already deployed AI agents into their engineering workflows, with another third piloting or testing them. And by 2028, IDC forecasts 65% of G1000 manufacturers will use AI agents alongside design and simulation tools to continuously validate design variants against product requirements.
The worldwide CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) applications market reached approximately $6.1 billion in 2025. Synopsys leads with $1,409M in revenue, followed closely by Siemens at $1,354M.
ANSYS (now fully integrated into Synopsys following the July 2025 acquisition) contributed $1,140M, meaning the combined Synopsys/Ansys entity represents over $2.5 billion and roughly 41% of the total market.
Source: IDC Semiannual Software Tracker, 2025 H2
Discussion Themes
Four Conversations Every Senior IT Leader Should Be Having Right Now
Simulation-driven engineering transformation
Engineering leaders are shifting to AI-enabled simulation to explore design alternatives, reduce development time, and improve product performance—even before building a prototype. Discover how Ansys, part of Synopsys is helping organizations scale simulation-driven engineering across automotive, manufacturing, and other complex industries.
AI tools and agents in the design loop
How AI is entering the design loop, continuously validating variants against requirements, exploring the design space, and running virtual tests at a pace human engineers cannot match. The shift from human-in-the-loop to human-on-the-loop, and what it means for workflows, headcount, and review rigor.
Realizing Financial Benefits of AI-enabled Simulation
How AI-enhanced transformation is impacting in companies’ engineering costs, production speed, product innovation, testing processes, usage of material and prototype budgeting, among other financial indicators.
Barriers and the road to scale
Why most engineering organizations are still in the 5-10% zone for AI penetration of R&D processes. How leaders are working through compliance and privacy, the AI governance skills gap, multi-agent coordination complexity, and validation rigor, and what it takes to move from pilot to scale.
What To Expect
A live video meeting led by a skilled host/moderator
An intimate gathering of senior leaders from diverse industries, grappling with similar issues
A secure, private conversation open only to a carefully vetted group (no recording, no playback)
Your host
Jeffrey Hojlo
Research Vice President, Industrial Ecosystems, Engineering & Product Innovation Strategies
IDC
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Jeffrey Hojlo
As Research Vice President, Industrial Ecosystems, Engineering & Innovation Strategies at IDC, Jeff Hojlo leads the Worldwide Engineering and Product Innovation Strategies practice, managing research on the manufacturing process chain. He also launched and manages the Worldwide Industry Ecosystems & Business Networks practice, covering trusted ecosystems across construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure. Both practices examine the impact of AI on data, workflow, and organization.
BACKGROUND
After starting his career in the CPG industry, Mr. Hojlo has spent over 30 years in the IT industry at start-ups and established global companies, with over 20 years focused on the R&D and engineering market, tracking the shift from workgroup-centric to ecosystem-directed innovation and operation. Prior to IDC, he was global industry product marketing lead at Siemens across food & beverage, consumer products retail, automotive, industrial machinery, and heavy equipment; prior to that, he was a Research Analyst at AMR Research (acquired by Gartner), covering the PLM market across automotive, consumer goods, machinery, retail, and high tech.
Judy Curran
Sr. Chief Technologist for Automotive
Ansys part of Synopsys
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Judy Curran
Judy Curran is an accomplished senior automotive executive with over 30 years of experience in automotive/mobility engineering, and technology leadership. She has served in roles from developing cross-vehicle strategy for key new technologies including ADAS, infotainment, new electrical architectures, and connectivity to powertrain controls, software design, and vehicle programs. Ms. Curran is currently the Sr. Chief Technologist for Automotive at Synopsys partnering with OEMs and suppliers in their digital transformation.
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