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.

Manish took the stage to bravely deliver a live demo of the virtual AI assistants, Aura, Leo, and Marie, showcasing how these assistants can help model a part straight from the SOLIDWORKS Model Mania competition. Watch the replay to see it in action!

Manish also spoke about the future of SOLIDWORKS and their commitment to delivering innovative tools to help users design better products. He also shared a sneak peek at upcoming features and enhancements in SOLIDWORKS 2027.

Next up was Gian Paolo Bassi, who presented a compelling vision for the future of industry, where success is measured not by “time to market” but by “time to value.” He argued that true innovation requires a continuous engine—a velocity of innovation that moves consistently from insight to design and validation. Bassi highlighted how the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and SOLIDWORKS portfolio serve as this engine, amplifying human creativity with AI companions that help teams recognize patterns and test assumptions faster than uncertainty can grow.

Gian Paolo closed his portion by saying,

“A platform and AI companions alone are not enough. Even the best engine and a well-balanced flywheel need a driver. They need intent, judgment, and purpose. That force comes from our ecosystem. Customers bring real problems. Partners bring expertise, scale, local knowledge, and help. Educators and students bring curiosity and new ways of thinking. And, when this ecosystem is connected through one platform—when people and AI learn together—the flywheel, the cycle of innovation, becomes unstoppable.”

GP then introduced Andrea Roero, the Group Chief Information and Innovation Officer at Molteni Group. Molteni Group is a luxury furniture leader that partners with Dassault Systèmes to scale its “Made in Italy” excellence globally. By virtualizing its heritage and connecting artisans with digital tools, Molteni demonstrates how ecosystems built on trust and data allow companies to blend tradition with advanced technology, ensuring that innovation always delivers lasting, sustainable impact.

By adding the 3DEXPERIENCE platform with SOLIDWORKS as part of its design and manufacturing process, Molteni can connect design intent to engineering decisions… to validation… to production. So, the “digital story” behind the physical object becomes just as strong as the object itself. And, that is what time to value looks like in the real world: faster decisions… fewer surprises… better collaboration… and the ability to scale quality without losing what makes the product meaningful.

“Because the goal is not to design faster for the sake of speed. The goal is to deliver value faster— with more confidence… and more beauty.”

Manish then welcomed the new CEO of the 3DEXPERIENCE brand, Morgan Zimmerman, who provided a clear vision for the platform’s future, emphasizing its strategic direction in AI, data management, and cybersecurity.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into design and engineering is no longer a distant concept; it is a present reality. However, realizing the full potential of generative AI requires more than just compelling demonstrations. For AI to deliver reliable, valuable results in a professional context, it needs a solid foundation built on structured data, robust security, and accessibility for every user.

Morgan explained the 3DEXPERIENCE platform’s strengths in AI, data management, and cybersecurity, and how robust ontology, collaborative workflows, and IP lifecycle management all play a key role in AI’s success. He addressed concerns about cloud security, showcasing 3DS’s expertise in protecting sensitive data for industries such as defense and healthcare.

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—or via the livestream! Be sure to tune in tomorrow morning for Day Two coverage of 3DEXPERIENCE World 2026 on SOLIDWORKS LIVE and for those not in Houston here is today’s recap:

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Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. offers complete 3D software tools that let you create, simulate, publish, and manage your data. SolidWorks products are easy to learn and use, and work together to help you design products better, faster, and more cost-effectively. The SolidWorks focus on ease-of-use allows more engineers, designers and other technology professionals than ever before to take advantage of 3D in bringing their designs to life.