Today kicked off the first day of 3DEXPERIENCE World 2026, the largest global gathering of SOLIDWORKS users, in Houston, Texas. The General Session on Day One kicked off the event, setting the tone for three days of inspiration, learning, and networking for thousands of designers, engineers, students, instructors, manufacturers, and executives who came together to learn and share ways to improve product development.
We heard from leadership at SOLIDWORKS and Dassault Systèmes, including SOLIDWORKS CEO Manish Kumar, Gian Paolo Bassi, SVP of Mainstream Innovation, and Pascal Daloz, CEO of DS, about how technology enables virtual environments, allowing us to push the boundaries of imagination.
First up was Manish Kumar, who spoke about the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
“AI is not just a tool. It is cognitive energy. To the creators and engineers in this room: you will drive the second wave of this pattern. The AI architects have given us the ‘engine’, but you will decide what it powers. I am a firm believer that the most world-changing applications of AI have yet to be invented.”
Pascal Daloz joined Manish on stage to deliver a powerful message about the transformative power of technology to drive innovation across industries. He discussed the generative economy of today, being driven by AI, and emphasized how Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform is revolutionizing product development by connecting people and ideas.
Pascal also introduced the family of new AI assistants: Aura, Leo, and Marie, which he refers to as “AI for industry.”
“That’s why we believe in AI as a companion. Not a black box. Not an autopilot, but a system that: reasons with you, challenges you, and remains accountable. You stay in control. AI helps you explore deeper, faster, and more safely.”
The AI virtual companions include:
AURA
- Orchestrates knowledge and context from requirements to projects to changes.
LEO
- Brings engineering reasoning: mechanics, structures, motion, simulation, and manufacturing.
MARIE
- Provides scientific rigor: assessing materials, chemistry, formulations, and regulations.
In summary, AURA explores the possibilities, MARIE learns from science, and LEO makes it real. The real magic happens when you collaborate between them to find the optimum solution.
Morgan also underscored the platform’s accessibility for both large enterprises and small businesses, sharing examples of innovative use cases like Automation Express. He ties the platform’s evolution to user feedback, promising continued simplification, enhanced AI integration, and a commitment to empowering users with precision and agility.
The future is about empowering users through continuous innovation driven by community feedback. AI is not just another feature; it is a paradigm shift that changes everything. By building on a foundation of structured data, unwavering security, and universal accessibility, we can provide tools that augment your creativity and help you solve tomorrow’s challenges.
He also countered the idea that the platform is only for large corporations by sharing the success story of Automation Express, a 55-employee startup that innovatively uses the platform for everything from CRM to proposals. This example underscores the platform’s accessibility and power for businesses of any size. Morgan concluded by reaffirming a commitment to user feedback, continued simplification, and harnessing AI to deliver a more intelligent and intuitive user experience focused on precision, relevance, and performance.
Keynote: Pablos Holman
The event’s first keynote speaker was Pablos Holman, the internationally recognized technology futurist, inventor, and bestselling author of Deep Future. In his keynote, Pablos shared insights from his decades of work – ranging from eradicating malaria with Bill Gates to building spacecraft with Jeff Bezos – providing a visionary roadmap for addressing the world’s biggest challenges through emerging technologies.
This was a truly inspiring talk that we can’t possibly summarize, so we encourage anyone who missed it to watch it in its entirety on the Live feed here. We won’t even attempt to summarize this enthralling discussion, but we will leave you with Pablos’ final thoughts on Boycotting Dystopia:
“Now we are building AI to help us develop the technologies that matter…to go after the problems we want to solve. We have the most advanced toolkit ever, we have the most educated people, the most knowledge, the most experience, the most money—everything we need to build the future.”
Thanks to everyone who joined us today.
To read the full article, click here.
Click here to learn more, get a quote, or contact an expert at The SolidExperts.
Want to learn more and take a deep dive into SOLIDWORKS? Check out our upcoming training classes to enhance your SOLIDWORKS skills. All classes are offered in person and virtually.
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT