Two cranes lift a bridge deck section into place over a wide estuary.

AI for planning in the physical world

Explore the possibilities. Understand what follows.

We’re developing AI to help engineering and production teams explore alternative plans, trace their consequences, and compare tradeoffs before committing.

Explore the approach

A change to one part can change the whole plan.

A different material can affect tooling, inspection, supplier orders, and work already in progress. A better choice for the part can create new constraints for production.

The decision needs to account for the part, the production process, and the work already committed.

Our starting point: where engineering changes meet production.

An articulated measuring arm inspects a machined bore in a cast-metal housing.

Compare plans on common ground.

Our approach starts with a shared model of parts, processes, orders, and constraints. AI explores alternative plans, keeping each plan’s proposed changes, assumptions, and supporting evidence distinct. Teams can then compare the consequences and see what still needs investigation.

A shared baseline of parts, processes, orders, and constraints branches into three distinct plans. Each carries changes, assumptions, and evidence into a comparison of tradeoffs and open questions before a human decision.
Conceptual planning model

One change. Several ways forward.

A team is considering a lower-cost material for a housing already in production. The potential saving must be weighed against qualification work, existing inventory, and delivery commitments.

Make the alternatives explicit. Decide with the tradeoffs in view.

Illustrative scenario · Lower-cost material proposed

Any introduction depends on completing the required validation and approval.

A revised-material production station with old stock and tooling set aside for disposition.

Prioritize the cutover

Potential benefit
Pursue material savings sooner.
What to investigate
Qualification timing, tooling changes, and disposition of existing stock and work in progress.
Current housing batches continue through one production station while a revised-material sample is prepared separately.

Phase into a later build

Potential benefit
Continue current builds while preparing the change.
What to investigate
The changeover point and control of old and new configurations during the transition.
Current production and shipments continue, with a proposed material sample and drawing folder set aside for review.

Keep the current design

Potential benefit
Avoid the immediate changeover burden.
What to investigate
Whether production stability justifies deferring the potential savings.
Illustrative decision comparison