DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Pablo Picasso’ s skepticism on computer science in 1968 would have been based on a big, cumbersome mainframe computer that used punch cards – like the ones used by banks and insurance companies – for database management.

We’ ve come a long way since then and if Picasso were alive today, he would most likely be using computers, or an agentic AI agent on his phone or laptop, to aid his creativity.

“ Picasso’ s statement is still partially true today,” says Gian Paolo Bassi, SVP of Mainstream Innovation and Customer Role Experience at Dassault Systèmes.“ Computers … AI … can only answer questions but who asks them? Who is the one that articulates the words and makes the machine a tool? We do.

“ People who use AI are empowered to do what humans do best – create. I don’ t believe in the notion that AI will put people out of business but it will transform how business gets done.

“ Today, you can’ t go to work in an office without knowing how to use a computer. Is the need for the office worker any less than it was during Picasso’ s time? No. I don’ t believe in the dystopian view that AI will replace our jobs. There is always a button to go into manual mode if you’ re able to handle it.”

McKinsey & Company’ s Generative AI and the future of work report found that a significant majority – often up to 70-80 % – of the tasks performed in many North American jobs involve

routine, repetitive or administrative duties rather than creative, high-level strategic work.

“ That is not the best use of human intelligence,” Gian says.“ Humans are very good at imagining and articulating problems – and we have so many problems to solve that I don’ t think there will be a lack of demand for human creativity.”

For example, a software engineer no longer needs to spend hours writing repetitive boilerplate code. Instead, they can focus on defining the architecture and the logic of the system with AI, much like an architect sketching the blueprint for a building rather than cutting the wood.

124 July 2026