AI is more than just automation – it’s reshaping industries

We’re already all-too aware of how AI is changing the way we work, but there is also lots of evidence revealing how companies are failing to realize the technology’s benefits because of poor data foundations, costs, and other barriers.

At Dassault Systèmes’ recent 3DEXPERIENCE WORLD convention, I got to see how artificial intelligence is completely reshaping the product design and manufacturing process for the better, delivering on sustainability objectives without eliminating the human workforce.

My key takeaway from the event is the sheer scale at which the relationship between humans and AI is changing how we work – but I came away more comforted than ever that we won’t surrender our livelihoods to robots even though the company’s clients and partners had plenty of them to show off on stage and in the playground.

AI will create whole new categories of jobs

Speaking with TechRadar Pro and other media outlets, Gian Paolo Bassi, SVP for 3DEXPERIENCE Works, and Shrikant Savant, Director of Data Analysis and Science for SOLIDWORKS, looked to address the potential fears around AI head-on, particularly highlighting the technology’s transformative effects on the design and manufacturing process.

Among the exhibitors at 3DEXPERIENCE WORLD were Boston Dynamics with Spot, an autonomous robot that can carry out aid and other missions in unsafe and hostile environments; Aniai, with an AI-powered robotic burger cooking grill designed for fast food restaurants; and ColdSnap, with a machine that can turn cans of prepared ingredients into ice cream in two minutes, in a bid to cut down on unnecessary freezing during transportation and storage.

The rise of AI agents, affectionately referred to as digital companions, has some workers worried about the future of their jobs, but Bassi depicted a future where engineers work alongside AI companions for more efficient and accurate results.

Improvement suggestions, design failure predictions and optimized processes were all cited as key benefits, with Savant plugging the platform’s command prediction AI, which already has a success rate of 95% despite being a new launch.

The partnership between humans and computers therefore promises to enhance productivity without reducing workforce numbers. Savant tackled the widely publicized misconception that AI will render entire job categories obsolete, arguing that the tech is simply evolving workers’ roles. The comparison to the industrial revolution and the advent of the steam engine was referenced not only by these execs, but other speakers on stage, too.

Bassi, referred to by his colleagues as GP, noted that AI even has the power to create a whole new class of knowledge workers across industries, but not without some groundwork. The SVP acknowledged the huge upskilling efforts and broader adaptations required to benefit from the shift.

AI’s carbon footprint doesn’t outweigh its benefits

When probed about the immense computational power required to power AI, Savant was quick to agree that AI training can be extremely taxing on the environment.

However, the technology goes a long way to driving sustainability initiatives, helping organizations to improve product lifecycle management, optimize resources and reduce waste.

In the case of Dassault Systèmes customers, being able to simulate designs entirely online without the need to build physical representations can cut out several steps that would previously have been required, simultaneously reducing environmental impacts and improving both time to market and quality.

Savant also revealed how an emerging focus on sustainable engineering could lead to the creation of new roles – proof that AI could have a positive effect on the labor market both directly and indirectly.

He also challenged the need for large, general purpose models, as OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s Gemini families tend to draw a lot of criticism over their use of resources. OpenAI hasn’t confirmed how many parameters its GPT4.5 model is trained on, but online speculation estimates a 13-digit figure – in excess of 10 trillion parameters.

AI designed to tackle more specific workflows tends to use fewer parameters, therefore tending to be much lighter, with many of Dassault Systèmes’ tools being trained on internal company knowledge and some customer input (where consent is given). Training resources for these smaller models can be a tiny percentage of generic and multi-purpose AI, hence the calling for enterprises to focus on building solutions for the exact needs.

Challenges and considerations

Building on the concept that artificial intelligence is helping companies to become more efficient, and acknowledging the energy requirement for AI training, GP broadened the discussion and welcomed the ongoing work being done to make artificial intelligence less impactful on the environment.

He shared his enthusiasm that scientists may even be able to unlock new efficiencies for AI, with AI, suggesting that despite current challenges, AI’s long-term impact on the environment will be net positive.

A key concern shared by both Dassault Systèmes and its clients is that artificial intelligence is perceived as a superhero that can automate and solve anything. Savant pointed out the tech isn’t, and is unlikely to ever become, perfect. Instead, chatbots of all types produce probabilistic and not absolute results, highlighting the need for engineers and designers to validate insights to ensure accuracy.

This theory also backs up that AI should best be seen as a human aid and not a replacement. Much like a turbocharger can boost a car’s power output, an engine remains integral, and this is how we should approach the deployment of AI.

The future of work in the AI era

Development has been so fast that, in many cases, the technology has outpaced legislation and regulation. With agentic AI and artificial general intelligence becoming increasingly accessible, workers’ concerns appear valid on the surface.

But dig a little deeper and it’s as clear as day that even the most advanced AI will still need human input. What the future holds is anyone’s guess, but a shift in the careers landscape is certain and the onus is on both employees and employers to prepare for this change, investing in upskilling efforts and broadening their mindsets to remain competitive in an AI-driven landscape.