3M Advances AI Procurement with AWS Partnership

3M is putting industrial customers at the core of accessibility with the release of its new AI-powered digital assistant which is powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS).

What is ‘Ask 3M’

‘Ask 3M’ is designed to evaluate 3M materials, compare options and address application challenges. Along with AWS, 3M also partnered with Amazon Bedrock and AgentCore to provide streamlined functionality for its users.  

Chris Goralski, Group President, Safety and Industrial Business Group at 3M shares his thoughts: “Our customers rely on 3M for deep application expertise and collaborative problem-solving across a wide range of industries,”

“Ask 3M extends that expertise in a new way, giving customers faster, more direct access to the information they need to evaluate options and make decisions.”

Components of the new AI digital assistant 

The new agentic AI tool is built around 3M’s documentation and information spanning across its various technology expertise areas, particularly industrial adhesives and tapes, with more categories being added in the future. 

The digital assistant offers users immediate resolutions for queries regarding 3M’s ecosystem, including guidance on selecting ideal tapes or adhesives for particular industrial uses. By navigating technical documentation, the tool identifies proven methodologies for troubleshooting while delivering tailored advice and relevant reference materials derived from user interactions.

Beyond basic queries, ‘Ask 3M’ handles intricate technical challenges. Users can leverage the tool to determine the appropriate structural adhesive for bonding aluminum sheeting to carbon fiber, compare specific product specifications between Adhesive Transfer Tape 468MP and 3M VHB Tape 5952, or receive guidance on applying 3M Scotch-Weld DP420NS Black.

‘Ask 3M’ was first introduced at the CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada alongside an expansion of 3M’s AI-powered platform 3M Digital Materials Hub. 

Holly Semerad, Chief Marketing Officer for 3M's Safety and Industrial Business Group, explains: “At 3M, we're combining decades of material science with AI so engineers can make better decisions, faster,”

“Together, Ask 3M and the 3M Digital Materials Hub allow customers of varying scope and scale to move from design challenge to solution concept then digital selection and simulation in minutes. We can further accelerate the testing timeframe with small quantity purchase options for final and confident prototyping.”

Thanks to the latest expansion, users of the 3M Digital Materials Hub can now utilise custom virtual materials and optical models integrated within simulation environments.

3M’s other agentic AI models

Although ‘Ask 3M’ is the latest digital assistant 3M has introduced, the company recently premiered ‘The Next Gear’ which is an agentic AI interface that allows customers to see how the corporation interacts with the automotive industry. 3M is an advocate of building lighter, smarter and efficient vehicles.

Wendy Bauer, President of 3M Transportation and Electronics Business Group shares: “The automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation, one that touches every part of the mobility ecosystem, from manufacturers and suppliers to infrastructure.

“3M brings deep expertise across automotive, electronics, manufacturing and advanced materials to help customers solve complex challenges, accelerate development and bring next-generation mobility solutions to market faster. ‘The Next Gear’ provides a comprehensive look at 3M solutions across the mobility ecosystem and demonstrates how we help customers move faster toward what’s ahead.”