3M announced two groundbreaking digital innovations for CES 2026: the AI-powered assistant “Ask 3M” and an expanded Digital Materials Hub. These tools leverage generative AI to accelerate customer design workflows and enable creation of previously nonexistent materials.
Table of Contents
Key Innovations Overview
| Tool | Primary Function | Technology |
|---|---|---|
| Ask 3M | AI assistant for design solutions | AWS Bedrock, AgentCore |
| Digital Materials Hub | Virtual materials sampling & collaboration | Advanced modeling, simulation |
| Optical Models | Optical film performance simulation | Generative AI |
| CES Booth | #8505, North Hall, Las Vegas | — |
Ask 3M: AI-Powered Design Assistant
Launching initially for engineers tackling bonding challenges with tapes and adhesives, Ask 3M utilizes Amazon Web Services’ secure AI capabilities. The assistant guides users through substrates, environmental conditions, assembly methods, and performance targets to recommend suitable options.
Holly Semerad, Chief Marketing Officer for 3M’s Safety & Industrial Business Group, stated: “We’re combining decades of material science with AI so engineers can make better decisions, faster. Together, Ask 3M and the Digital Materials Hub allow customers to move from design challenge to solution concept then digital selection and simulation in minutes.”
The platform accelerates innovation cycles, reduces prototyping costs, and helps bring superior products to market faster through agentic AI and advanced simulation capabilities.
Expanded Digital Materials Hub
The enhanced hub, which initially launched in early 2025, now includes Optical Models representing 3M optical film performance for common simulation environments. Engineers in automotive, consumer electronics, and advanced manufacturing can assess optical behaviors and material tradeoffs earlier in development.
Pilot customers reported the tool enables seamless 3M materials integration into virtual simulations, dramatically accelerating prototyping and design timelines.
Bespoke Virtual Materials Creation
A revolutionary feature allows customers to request custom virtual materials—solutions addressing specific design challenges that don’t yet physically exist. By leveraging 3M’s decades of material science expertise, the platform can accelerate development and delivery of unique solutions tailored to exact specifications.
Jason Langfield, 3M Digital Materials Hub Project Lead, explained: “We’re redefining how engineers discover, evaluate, and simulate materials. By drawing on 3M’s deep technological expertise, we deliver secure, scalable access to mechanical models, optical models, and virtual materials.”
Workbench Feature Enables Direct Collaboration
The expanded hub’s Workbench feature facilitates direct collaboration between customers and 3M scientists, streamlining problem-solving and ensuring expert guidance throughout the design process.
Visit 3M at CES 2026 Booth #8505 (North Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center). Schedule meetings at CE****@*mm.com or learn more at news.3m.com/CES. For additional updates, visit TechnoSports.
FAQs
Which industries can benefit from Ask 3M and the Digital Materials Hub?
Automotive, consumer electronics, advanced manufacturing, and any sector requiring adhesives, tapes, or optical materials.
Can I request materials that don’t currently exist?
Yes, the platform enables bespoke virtual materials creation leveraging 3M’s material science expertise.
