# AI Tools for Graph Layout

**URL:** <https://forum.graphviz.org/t/ai-tools-for-graph-layout/2930>\
**Category:** Dev\
**Created:** [April 27, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/ai-tools-for-graph-layout/2930 "2025-04-27T16:56:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ggraham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e480ec/32.png) [@ggraham](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/ggraham)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/ai-tools-for-graph-layout/2930/1 "2025-04-27T16:56:54Z")

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Does anyone know if there are any AI tools for generating graph layouts, or AI based layout engines for Graphviz? I’m trying to find a tool for generating pictures of electrical substations given a network of connected elements. We’re using GraphVis now, but it doesn’t do a great job for larger substations, and the output is quite different from the human-produced CAD diagrams that engineers in our field are used to seeing. Thank you!

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**Author:** ![scnorth](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/graphviz/user_avatar/forum.graphviz.org/scnorth/32/89_2.png) [@scnorth](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/scnorth)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 11:46pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/ai-tools-for-graph-layout/2930/2 "2025-04-27T23:46:30Z")

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You’re asking an excellent question, but machine learning approaches to network layout seem to be research projects, not production ready.

The overall area of constraint-based diagram layout needs more focus on practical methods.

Possibly you can find something better in commercial products like yWorks (what about “grouped orthogonal layouts” as seen in [Summary of Layout and Routing Styles | Automatic Graph Layout | yFiles for HTML Documentation](https://docs.yworks.com/yfiles-html/dguide/layout/layout-summary.html)) or Tom Sawyer Software (free trial?) or maybe Cytoscape. SkyCad? Maybe [this survey](https://arxiv.org/pdf/2106.04661) from 2021 helps?

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**Author:** ![steveroush](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@steveroush](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/steveroush)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/ai-tools-for-graph-layout/2930/3 "2025-04-28T15:00:01Z")

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- The Graphviz external resources page points to a few:  
[External Resources | Graphviz](https://www.graphviz.org/resources/#ai-and-language)
- What are you hoping to get from a Graphviz-like system that CAD systems don’t provide?
- Can you share a (rough) example of a desired output diagram? And maybe associated input?