AI Configurator vs. Traditional 3D Configurator: What’s the Difference?
May 20, 2025
Why product configuration needs to evolve
3D configurators have changed the game for customizable products. They’ve made it possible for customers to visualize what they’re buying, understand how different options affect the end result, and build confidence before making a purchase. The more flexible the product, the more friction shows up, and even great visual tools can start to feel a little clunky. More choices should mean more freedom, but usually it just means more clicks. The dropdowns multiply, steps become longer, and users, especially those who aren’t technically skilled, start to drop off.
How can AI help?
At Digital Tails Group, we know 3D configurators inside out as we’ve been building them for years. We’ve seen where things worked, but also where users get stuck, and what they really need to move forward. It led us to develop the AI configurator: a smart, conversational tool that makes configuration feel less like clicking through a tool, and more like talking to someone.
Let’s break down how the AI configurator works, how it compares to the traditional 3D configurator, and why that difference matters for both users and businesses.The traditional 3D configurator: What it is and how it works
The traditional 3D configurator: What it is and how it works
Traditional 3D configurators are essential tools for selling customizable products online. They are a great tool for users to explore, personalize, and visualize what they’re buying with clear, step-by-step interfaces built around dropdowns, sliders, and logical UI flows. When they’re built and set up well, they provide a structured experience, especially for products with well-defined options and rules. Customers can see changes in real time, navigate through dimensions and materials, and build a product that fits their needs without needing to speak to a sales rep.
That said, structure also has its limits. When the product is highly complex or needs expanded personalization options, the interface can become crowded and as a result overwhelming. Each new option adds more UI, and for some users, that adds friction. In many setups, quoting is handled separately, and the tool can’t always adapt to the nuance of customer intents.
This doesn’t make traditional configurators outdated, far from it. They still remain great solutions, especially when the goal is to provide control, visual clarity, and rule-based logic. But some clients may have other priorities, such as speed, even more personalization, or guided simplicity, so there’s room to build on that foundation.
The AI configurator: What’s new
So what does the AI configurator build on exactly? On everything that works in a traditional configurator, but adds a layer of intelligence on top. It’s not a replacement for existing 3D or visual tools, it’s more of an interface upgrade that makes everything smarter, faster, and easier to use.
The main upgrade of the configuration experience is a conversational interface. Instead of handling multiple manual menus, the user describes what they want by typing, speaking, or uploading a reference image. The system interprets the input, applies the product logic, and generates a valid configuration.
Here’s what’s new:
Natural-language input: customers can say things like “I want a walnut cabinet with black handles, 180 cm wide,” and receive an accurate configuration without needing to click through multiple steps
Image-based input: users to upload inspiration photos or product references to guide their configuration that is processed by image recognition
Instant configuration generation: the AI understands intent, applies business rules, and builds a valid, build-ready model
Smart recommendations: the assistant can suggest related accessories, upgrades, or styling bundles based on the user’s inputs, and supports upsell, cross-sell and better product fit
It can be deployed as an add-on to a current 3D configurator by Digital Tails Group or introduced in a new build.
What smarter configuration means for business
It has become a new standard that the customers expect smart and easy ways to interact with products. The AI configurator meets that shift with measurable impact:
More conversions, less friction: The smoother and faster the experience, the more likely users are to complete it. Natural language input lowers barriers and keeps users engaged.
Wider accessibility: You don’t need to be “tech-savvy” to configure a product. Anyone can describe what they want.
Handles complexity without showing it: Behind the scenes, the logic can be as advanced as needed, but for the customer, the experience feels simple, guided, and human.
Scales as you grow: When your catalog expands or product rules evolve, the AI configurator adapts quickly.
Future-proofing the configurator
We’re at a point where product interfaces need to be intelligent and human-like. Customers don’t want to be guided through dozens of fields or forced into fixed paths just to figure out what fits their needs. They want clarity, speed, and a sense that the system understands them.
The Digital Tails AI configurator delivers that. It’s not a replacement for our 3DT configurator, it’s an upgrade and the next step companies are asking for to improve the quality of online interaction. If you layer AI over your existing tool, you turn a static interface into a conversation. That turns a sequence of manual steps into a fluid exchange. There is less requirement from the user to have a full product knowledge, and the configuration is now accessible with just a question and in their own words.
The benefits cover the user and customer experience, but at the same time contribute to better internal operations, support and roadmap. With fewer manual touchpoints, smarter engagement and a sales experience can evolve alongside customer’s products and audience.