In 2023, the corporate blog team wrote a lot. In total, we reported, wrote, edited and published 140 stories this year.
In celebration of all the stories we tackled this year, we asked everyone on the team what their favorite takeaways were from the corporate blogs produced in 2023. What surprised them, gave them hope for a more sustainable future and the messages they hope will reach the Dassault Systèmes community and beyond.
Starting the roundup off is Patrick Ball, WW Senior Communications Manager, who learned:
1. AI in healthcare is rising to challenges that have plagued the industry for decades
From a rapidly aging population to a healthcare worker shortage to the ongoing risk of injury due to human-made medical errors, there are many challenges the healthcare sector will face as time goes on. AI is already helping make sense of the massive amounts of data medical professionals collect each day and spotting patterns humans may miss. It’s automating hospital record-keeping, helping healthcare workers do more tasks in less time, and even tracking regional and global healthcare data to spot emerging viruses and pandemics. What’s next? For one thing, in the near future, we’ll see generative AI used for inventing new medicines and treatments and improving existing ones.
Learn more: How has AI improved your health today?
2. AI can also help business executives lead more purposefully and confidently on the topic of sustainability
In 2023, there’s an expectation for business leaders to be more mindful, compassionate, empathetic, and authentic than in years past. All of this sounds great on paper, but the truth is, this requires a skill set that many C-level executives who went to school for traditional disciples don’t necessarily have. With rising pressure to make scientific commitments about their company’s impact on the environment and navigate other social issues like gender identity, a science-based platform packed with ESG and informed by AI can help teach and guide business leaders in areas outside their comfort zone and make them more compassionate executives.
Learn more: Can business executives be mindful leaders on the environment?
Next, we’ll hear what Gabby Gelbien, Worldwide Communications Manager, learned from the blog this year.
3. Repurposing existing vehicles is a viable alternative to buying an electric vehicle (EV)
Electric vehicles (EVs) are far from a new invention, but barriers like high costs, range and speed have prevented widespread adoption and we have a world dominated by gas. However, there are companies like California-based Evolectric that are helping to overcome these barriers with innovations like retrofitting or repurposing existing commercial vehicles and turning them electric. Repurposing electric vehicles may just be the best chance to accelerate the adoption of EVs with the process costing 45% less than buying a new EV. In the future, it’s likely we’ll see more companies turning to retrofitting or other innovative solutions to increase electric vehicle adoption.
Read more in How can we get more electric vehicles on the road?
4. Virtual twins can be used to simulate and test out new types of heart surgery
Historically, women, particularly women of color, have been excluded from major clinical trials such as heart disease. As precision medicine — otherwise known as personalized medicine — becomes increasingly important to medical professionals and patients alike, virtual twins have entered the conversation. Virtual twins can create a 3D model of a body part of any unique individual and combine it with an extensive range of personal data to gain deeper insights. From there, medical professionals can determine the best course of action and even test our surgeries on 3D models before it is done on the patient, enabling a level of precision that signifies an industry renaissance.
Read more in Virtual twins for precision medicine
Next in the roundup, we will find out what Shoshana Kranish, Senior Communications Manager, learned from the corporate blog this year.
5. Innovative construction of buildings can help create urban spaces able to withstand heat
It’s no secret that global warming is having lasting effects on the world and, as each summer gets hotter and hotter, the pressure to come up with solutions to manage rising temperatures intensifies. Cities, in particular, are faced with something called urban heat island effect, which makes them experience higher temperatures than those in surrounding rural areas. The solution? Urban planners are taking concrete steps to artificially cool cities. From innovative construction of buildings to considering transportation patterns and options, it’s clear that we’ll continue to see cities transform and adapt to changing temperatures in the future.
Read more in Designing cities to withstand heat
6. Virtual twins can be leveraged in a variety of healthcare settings to improve outcomes
After breaking through in industries like manufacturing and the automotive space, virtual twins are increasingly being used in healthcare settings to improve patient outcomes. We’ve seen them used to develop new vaccines to combat the COVID-19 crisis, in operating rooms to visualize surgeries, and even to virtually map out hospital ventilation systems and reduce the spread of airborne disease. In the future, we’ll continue to see virtual twins used in a variety of healthcare settings and applications along with new industries as business executives continue to witness their revolutionary benefits.
Read more in 4 pillars of virtual twins in the healthcare industry
Next in the roundup is Maryann Dennehy, Global Senior Communications Manager, and her favorite insights from the year.
7. New ways of producing steel can eliminate carbon emissions by 95%
Steel manufacturing is notorious for its negative effects on the environment and greenhouse gas pollution. It’s currently responsible for 8% of total carbon emissions and is the biggest producer of CO2 of any heavy industry. With major pressure to reduce carbon footprints, many manufacturers are producing steel in new ways, including green steel plants that are powered by hydrogen instead of fossil fuels. Green steel has the potential to cut carbon emissions by as much as 95%, making it an incredibly attractive option for the industry. As global demand for sustainable steel continues to soar, we can expect the first commercial-scale green steel plants to enter the picture in the coming years.
Read more in What is green steel? The next big thing in Manufacturing
8. Virtual twins can be used to rebuild cities both efficiently and sustainably
When cities become unlivable due to the destruction caused by war, authorities and city planners are left wondering how to rebuild in a way that is both efficient and sustainable. Ukraine in particular is faced with this challenge and is using virtual twin technology to not only rebuild existing cities as they were, but to construct them in a way that enriches the lives of their inhabitants. Virtual twin technology can be used in everything from the design and positioning of new buildings to evaluating infrastructure such as water and sewage systems, transportation, and ways to adapt to climate change.
Read more in Rebuilding Ukraine’s cities using virtual twins
To finish off our roundup, we will find out what Alyssa Ross, Communications Director, learned from the corporate blog in 2023.
9. Life sciences & healthcare in 2040 will be more personalized than ever
The healthcare industry is continuing to evolve in exciting ways. In 2040 we can expect virtual twins to help turn the global healthcare system into an efficient, value-based medical industry powered by virtual twin experiences that benefit patients, hospitals and entire healthcare systems. Dassault Systèmes VP of Life Sciences and Healthcare Claire Biot was asked what she believes “healthy” will look like in a few decades and she is optimistic we’ll have more control over our healthcare, from personalized food for our health and wellness and access to personalized medical data that empowers two-way communication with healthcare professionals.
Read more in What will healthy mean in 2040?
10. Urban farming can help remove the threat of food insecurity
For countries like Singapore, which imports 90% of its food and relies on other countries to be fed, food insecurity is increasingly becoming a problem officials are seeking to solve. Singapore leaders are tapping into technological, business, academic and government resources to accelerate innovations in a new industry: urban farming, which addresses this specific issue. Urban farming can take place anywhere but tends to be concentrated indoors where growers can grow their own food and control water, temperature and soil conditions – without the risk of pests and diseases. For cities with limited outdoor space, this means they can harvest year-round regardless of weather while improving the quality of food for their citizens.
Read more in Singapore engineers a future free of urban food insecurity