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Explore how Configura approaches artificial intelligence in professional design software and space planning with clarity, care, and a focus on what truly matters.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in the design and manufacturing industries. It is already reshaping how people work, design, sell, collaborate, and make decisions. The real challenge today is not whether AI is available - it’s knowing how to apply it in ways that genuinely create value in real-world design workflows.
For us, innovation has always meant solving real problems, not introducing technology for its own sake. In 2025, that approach became more explicit with the creation of Team Innovation & AI, a dedicated group focused on exploring how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies can support clearer workflows, more confident decisions, and better outcomes across the Configura ecosystem.
Rather than chasing trends, the team’s mission is to make AI at Configura useful, trustworthy, and grounded in real work. It starts by asking a simple question: does this help people do their work better?
Image generated by AI Photo. This Extension will be available with the CET 17.0 release in May.
A practical approach to AI in design software
Team Innovation & AI was formed to research, prototype, and evaluate AI-driven concepts before they become part of Configura’s products and internal workflows. The goal is not rapid release but to understand where AI can remove friction without compromising accuracy or control.
Current focus areas include:
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Smart search that helps users find relevant products faster, using contextual signals instead of rigid queries
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Dynamic reuse of previous projects, supporting inspiration and faster design starts
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Content digitization, where AI helps convert and structure existing material into usable digital assets
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Image enhancement and generation, currently in beta, to support clearer and more efficient visual communication Across all of this work, one principle remains constant: AI should support the user, not replace expertise or decision-making.
Across all of this work, one principle remains constant: AI should support the user, not replace expertise or decision-making.
“AI will take the jobs we never wanted”That mindset is central to how Gustav V. Karlsson, Head of Innovation & AI at Configura, approaches his work. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for people, he sees it as a way to remove the kind of administrative and system-driven work most professionals never wanted to do in the first place. For decades, digital tools have added layers of complexity. Users adapted to systems, learned interfaces, and translated intent into commands. AI-supported design tools begin to reverse that relationship. Instead of people bending to the tool, the tool can increasingly adapt to the way people think, communicate, and work. The result is not less human involvement, but a different kind of involvement—one where people spend less time managing systems and more time doing meaningful space planning and design work.
Gustav V. Karlsson
Head of Innovation & AI
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Accuracy, trust, and responsibility
With this shift comes responsibility. As AI-generated outputs become easier to produce, validation and quality control become essential skills across the organization.
At Configura, this means:
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Treating AI as a collaborator, not an authority
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Ensuring humans remain responsible for validation and decisions
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Designing systems that prioritize accuracy first, especially in professional design and specification workflows.
In practice, this turns many roles into supervisory ones, in which users guide, review, and refine AI-assisted outputs rather than accept them blindly. These considerations are particularly important in industries where design decisions have real operational consequences, such as commercial interiors, where space, cost, and user experience intersect, and material handling, where safety, accuracy, and reliable data are critical.
Image generated by AI Photo. This Extension will be available with the CET 17.0 release in May.
From research to usable solutions
Looking ahead, our focus is gradually shifting from experimentation to implementation. In the coming year, Team Innovation & AI will work closely with product teams to turn validated concepts into tools that users can apply in their daily work.
The goal is not to introduce standalone AI features, but to integrate intelligence where it naturally supports existing automated design workflows. When AI works well, it should feel like part of the toolset, not a separate layer to manage.
Why human value still matters most
As AI tools become widely available, technical polish alone will no longer be a differentiator. As Gustav puts it:
“As AI becomes more common, the genuine human becomes even more valuable. With everyone using the same tools, what matters is the unique value you bring to your customers.”
For Configura, this reinforces a long-held belief: technology should amplify human expertise, not flatten it. The time saved through smarter tools should be reinvested in better service, stronger collaboration, and deeper customer understanding.
Related reading: “Is AI just a fad?”
Innovation with purpose
Innovation at Configura is not measured by speed or novelty. It is measured by usefulness.
By combining emerging technologies with deep industry knowledge, close customer collaboration, and a strong sense of responsibility, Configura continues to explore how AI can support professionals without getting in their way.
The result is a platform that evolves thoughtfully and stays grounded in the belief that well-designed tools help people do their best work.
Explore more from Configura
Explore more perspectives on AI, innovation, and professional design workflows on the Configura Blog.
This article is part of a broader set of reflections in the Configura Yearbook 2025, highlighting work across product development, innovation, community and leadership.
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