New research from Autodesk points to an unexpected shift: AI is pulling the next generation toward hands-on, physical-world work.

To help prepare students and today's workforce for these opportunities, Autodesk has made a $350 million commitment over the next three years to provide free technology access, training, and certifications for the AI-powered jobs that design and make the physical world: the architects, engineers, construction professionals, product designers, manufacturing professionals, creatives, and skilled tradespeople with technical expertise behind everything that's built. These industries employ nearly 300 million professionals worldwide and are projected to represent $30 trillion in global economic value by 2027.

"AI is raising the floor for everyone, but it is human ingenuity that will vault the ceiling," said Dara Treseder, Chief Marketing Officer at Autodesk. "That is why access matters. The next generation already has the curiosity, creativity, and ambition to solve real problems. What too many young people still lack are the professional tools, training, and experiences that help turn that potential into a career. Preparing them for the future we're building is a responsibility we all share, and one Autodesk is proud to help lead."

The research also overturns a common assumption. Rather than steering young people toward screens, AI is deepening their pull toward the physical world. More than 66% of students say they want careers where they make things or work with their hands – up six points from 2024 – and when asked which work feels more appealing as AI reshapes the workforce, students choose the physical world over digital by more than two to one. Among working professionals, the margin is more than four to one. That instinct is the engine of the Design and Make industries and the reason Autodesk is investing to meet it.