AI and NI Connect 2026

Why It Matters

Nigel demonstrates how focused AI can improve engineering productivity, while Archer’s success shows NI’s tools are critical for rapid development of next‑generation electric aircraft. Both signal a shift toward AI‑enhanced, hardware‑centric design in high‑tech industries.

Key Takeaways

• Nigel AI adds code completion for LabVIEW's graphical programming
• Nigel trained on NI docs reduces hallucinations versus generic chatbots
• Archer built Midnight eVTOL with NI LabVIEW, VeriStand, PXI hardware
• NI tools accelerated certification schedule for urban electric aircraft
• NI Connect 2026 highlights AI-driven development for test and control engineers

Pulse Analysis

NI’s annual Connect conference in Fort Worth served as a showcase for the company’s push into artificial‑intelligence‑augmented engineering. The headline was Nigel, a LabVIEW‑specific chatbot that draws exclusively from National Instruments’ own documentation, code libraries and test data. By limiting its knowledge base, Nigel delivers more accurate answers and cuts down on the hallucinations that plague broader models such as ChatGPT. The 2026 release adds graphical code‑completion, a feature that mirrors the drag‑and‑drop workflow of LabVIEW VIs, allowing engineers to prototype faster and with fewer syntax errors.

The event also highlighted a real‑world validation of NI’s ecosystem: Archer Aviation’s Midnight electric eVTOL. Development teams leveraged LabVIEW for control‑algorithm design, VeriStand for real‑time testing, and PXI‑based signal‑conditioning hardware to simulate flight loads. This integrated stack enabled Archer to compress a certification schedule that the company calls “the most aggressive ever attempted” in aviation. By testing software and hardware at scale in NI‑equipped labs, the startup shortened hardware‑in‑the‑loop cycles and reduced risk, accelerating its path to commercial urban air mobility.

Together, Nigel and the eVTOL case study illustrate a broader shift toward domain‑specific AI in the test‑and‑measurement market. Engineers are demanding tools that understand the nuances of graphical programming and hardware‑centric workflows, and NI’s strategy positions it as a leader in that niche. As electric aircraft and other high‑performance systems proliferate, the ability to iterate quickly while maintaining regulatory compliance will become a competitive differentiator. Expect more AI‑driven assistants and tighter hardware‑software co‑design in upcoming NI product roadmaps.