#124: 3DEXPERIENCE World 2026 Wrap Up

In this episode of Stay Sharp in Digital Engineering, we break down the biggest themes and takeaways from 3DEXPERIENCE World (formerly SolidWorks World), held this year in Houston.

The message was loud and clear: AI is here — and Dassault Systèmes is betting big on it.

From the headline-making partnership with NVIDIA to live AI demos inside the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, the event showcased ambitious plans for AI-driven engineering workflows. But beyond the stage announcements, what are customers actually asking about? And what does this shift mean for data strategy, PLM adoption, and long-term system decisions?

Juliann Grant discusses the highlights of the event with the attending Razorleaf team, Jonathan Scott, Francois Schlub, and Andrew Halley as they share what really stood out — including conversations happening off-stage.

Key Themes from the Event

AI Everywhere — But What Does It Really Mean?

• AI agents embedded in SolidWorks workflows
• Live demos showing rapid simulation and design iteration
• Partnership announcement between Dassault Systèmes and NVIDIA
• The broader message: AI as a force multiplier, not just a chatbot

Data Is the Foundation

• Why clean, structured product data matters more than ever
• The push toward centralizing data in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform
• Integration challenges across ERP, PDM, and PLM systems
• “Garbage in, garbage out” — especially with AI

Adoption Still Matters More Than Hype

• Real-world customer questions about migration and workflows
• PDM Pro vs. Manage vs. 3DEXPERIENCE decisions
• Cloud adoption realities
• Legacy systems vs. startup-native cloud environments

Education & the Next Generation

• Expanded focus on 3DEXPERIENCE EDU
• High school and university programs teaching platform tools early
• The long-term shift in engineering workforce readiness

The Big Question: Is AI Replacing Engineers?

A recurring theme throughout the conference:
If AI compresses hours of work into minutes… what changes for engineering teams?

We explore the tension between productivity gains and workforce impact — and what it may mean for the future of digital engineering.

Guests in This Episode

• Juliann Grant – Host
• Jonathan Scott – Host
• Andrew Halley – Senior Director of Partnerships
• François Schlub– Sales Executive

The Event Takeaways

AI dominated the headlines.
But customers are still focused on:

• Getting PLM foundations right
• Managing migration paths
• Structuring and governing product data
• Ensuring successful user adoption

The shift is real — but the groundwork still matters.

If you couldn’t make it to Houston, this recap gives you the highlights, insights, and honest takeaways from the floor.

👉 Have questions about 3DEXPERIENCE, AI strategy, or PLM adoption?
Reach out to the team at Razorleaf.

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