AI-Assisted Inventory Generation in AAP 2.6 — Developer Preview

Introduction

AAP 2.6 introduces an exciting developer preview feature: AI-assisted inventory generation. This feature allows you to describe your desired deployment topology in natural language, and the platform automatically generates a validated inventory file.

See also: What's New in Ansible Automation Platform 2.6 — Complete Overview

How It Works

Natural Language Input

Instead of manually writing complex inventory files, you can describe your environment:

"I need a 3-node controller cluster with an external database,
2 execution nodes, and an automation hub on a separate host.
All nodes are running RHEL 9."

AI-Generated Output

The platform generates a validated inventory file:

[automationcontroller]
controller1.example.com
controller2.example.com
controller3.example.com
[automationhub]
hub1.example.com
[database]
db1.example.com
[execution_nodes]
exec1.example.com
exec2.example.com
[all:vars]
ansible_user=admin
ansible_become=true
[automationcontroller:vars]
peers=execution_nodes

Benefits

Reduced Manual Effort

Creating inventory files for complex topologies can be error-prone. AI assistance: • Eliminates common syntax errors • Suggests optimal node grouping • Includes required variables automatically

Faster Onboarding

New users can set up their first AAP environment faster by describing what they need rather than learning inventory file syntax.

Validated Output

The generated inventory is validated against AAP requirements: • Required groups are present • Node assignments follow supported topologies • Variables meet minimum requirements

See also: Getting Started with Ansible Lightspeed Intelligent Assistant in AAP 2.6

Current Limitations (Developer Preview)

As a developer preview, this feature: • May not support all topology configurations • Requires review before production use • Is subject to change in future releases • Needs connectivity to AI model service

Best Practices

Always review generated inventories — AI assistance helps, but human review is essential Start with simple topologies — The feature works best with clear, concise descriptions Iterate — Refine your description based on the generated output Test in non-production — Validate generated inventories in a test environment first

See also: What's New in Ansible Automation Platform 2.6 — Official Video Overview

Conclusion

AI-assisted inventory generation demonstrates Red Hat's commitment to making Ansible more accessible. While still in developer preview, this feature hints at a future where AI significantly reduces the barrier to entry for enterprise automation.

For more Ansible tutorials and guides, explore the complete article collection on Ansible Pilot.

Related Articles

• the Ansible become reference • managing inventory in Ansible • EC2 provisioning with Ansible