#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 EventAI Everywhere — But What Does It Really Mean?AI agents embedded in SolidWorks workflowsLive demos showing rapid simulation and design iterationPartnership announcement between Dassault Systèmes and NVIDIAThe broader message: AI as a force multiplier, not just a chatbotData Is the FoundationWhy clean, structured product data matters more than everThe push toward centralizing data in the 3DEXPERIENCE platformIntegration challenges across ERP, PDM, and PLM systems“Garbage in, garbage out” — especially with AIAdoption Still Matters More Than HypeReal-world customer questions about migration and workflowsPDM Pro vs. Manage vs. 3DEXPERIENCE decisionsCloud adoption realitiesLegacy systems vs. startup-native cloud environmentsEducation & the Next GenerationExpanded focus on 3DEXPERIENCE EDUHigh school and university programs teaching platform tools earlyThe long-term shift in engineering workforce readinessThe 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 EpisodeJuliann Grant – HostJonathan Scott – HostAndrew Halley – Senior Director of PartnershipsFrançois Schlub– Sales ExecutiveThe Event TakeawaysAI dominated the headlines.But customers are still focused on:Getting PLM foundations rightManaging migration pathsStructuring and governing product dataEnsuring successful user adoptionThe 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.Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Story Blocks.Technical Podcast Support by Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.© 2026 Razorleaf Corp. All Rights Reserved.