Engineering education is constantly evolving to keep up with the latest technological developments and meet the changing needs of industry. Today, we live in the era of generative AI. AI and ML systems enable applications ranging from junk mail or text filters to autonomous vehicles and robots. 

On a professional level, engineers are highly benefitted by AI and ML to improve the design process and create highly optimized and original products. But the question is, what is the impact of generative AI in engineering education? 

"Generative AI is a boon for engineering education", says Vinod Kumar, Professor at Rajalakshmi College.  

According to a paper by Junaid Qadir at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, the buzzing ChatGPT is being used in various applications, including generating chatbot responses, developing ideas for stories and content, and even creating music. Furthermore, the paper argues that the model can be used by both learners and teachers.  

Learning from campuses  

To better understand the role of generative AI models, I approached college students and professors from IIIT-D. 

 An average engineering student can use generative AI models to create designs, architecture, documents, answers for queries, videos or animation for presentations, discussions, etc. It can also be used for simulation and testing, generating raw data where data is not readily available. 

 "Yes, I have used generative AI to learn concepts unknown to me. For example, I used it to learn about CNN, LSTM, RNN, etc. It helps learn rare topics which are not familiar and for which resources are not available much", stated a research student from IIIT-D speaking about using generative AI in their studies. 

According to engineering students, open-book tests are the way to evaluate knowledge because gone are the days when students are forced to cram and mug up the formulas and derivations. Here ChatGPT can help as smart search engines. Students will need to design their assignments and quizzes so that practical and application-based questions are asked rather than theorems and facts. 

Integrating generative AI in education will be a big task since AI has its loopholes and drawbacks and does not have a better chance of giving the right answers than a proper Google search. However, in engineering and technology courses where education is mostly practical, generative AI can help increase the productivity of the students while doing quizzes and assignments. 

Teachers speak 

Generative AI can be a valuable tool for teaching engineering concepts and improving students' learning outcomes. For example, generative AI can be used to create virtual simulations that allow students to experiment with different scenarios and observe the outcomes in real time. Additionally, generative AI can automate certain tasks, such as grading assignments or providing personalized feedback to students. This can save instructors time and allow them to focus on more important aspects of teaching. 

According to a professor at IIIT-D, generative AI could be detrimental to engineering education if not used responsibly. If students rely too heavily on generative AI, it could impede their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Moreover, they may become overly dependent on AI tools and lack the necessary skills to work independently or adapt to new situations. 

Current developments in technology have brought numerous changes. In terms of teaching, AI tools have enabled instructors to deliver more personalized and adaptive learning experiences. However, students are now required to develop skills in programming, data analysis, and machine learning simultaneously, which were not traditionally part of the engineering curriculum. 

With generative AI, engineering students have the opportunity but an uphill task to learn, adapt and upgrade in terms of applying cutting-edge technologies to various problems.

Technology and Education 

When students and teachers use AI, will it not affect the quality of their degree, as the scope for real ideas declines? Or will not the quality of the assessment be affected when a teacher uses it? - These are obvious concerns.  

This is not the first time that the development in technology has disrupted traditional practices. In the past, researchers have questioned how Google will impact education- whether it is making us wiser or shallower.  

In the early 2010s, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) gained widespread attention. Still, their performance did not live up to expectations, and their focus and business models underwent shifts as a result.  

Going further into history, during the time of Plato, there were admonitions about atrophying tendencies of technology which will result in "forgetfulness” in the learners' souls, because they will not use their memories. 

These concerns may even be levered on modern generative AI technologies. These technologies have enormous potential and also significant risks. The engineering community has to tackle this issue to benefit from this tool, and any potential downsides are mitigated through the development of clear guidelines.

Assessment processes 

Both the teaching community and students agree that there is no standardized assessment process to differentiate between individual projects and those co-authored by AI. Ultimately, it will be important for instructors to establish clear guidelines and expectations for projects that involve AI and to work closely with students to ensure that they are learning in the process and not just blindly using AI. 

 "There was no shift in teaching, but the assessments are now primarily designed so students cannot use generative AI to solve them", stated an engineering student from IIIT-D. 

Quality of education  

Studies published in the past years show that the quality of engineering graduates in India is declining. One of the professors from IIIT-D argued that the decline in the quality of engineering graduates in India is a complex issue with multiple causes, such as inadequate funding for education, outdated curricula, and poor quality of teaching.  

The underlying cost of implementing AI tools in engineering education could result in a widening gap between institutions that can afford to implement them and those that cannot. 

"The key lies in striking a balance between the use of AI tools and the development of core engineering skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, and ensuring that all students have access to these tools and resources, regardless of their institution or socio-economic background", added the professor from IIIT-D. 

Aligning with developments 

Generative AI impacts our education system, with no exception to engineering. Therefore, it is important to add generative AI models into our teachings, assignments, & exams. Our youth needs an upgrade, if not, there are chances that our education system will become obsolete. 

Students already use ChatGPT for their assignments, tests, notes, etc. The issue is that they are using it as a shortcut to score marks and cracking exams, which should be stopped. Generative AI should not become a shortcut. Rather, it should be adapted into everyday teachings.  

Indulging projects, story-based tests, action-based assignments and bot tests could be useful teaching methods. If all the students are taught in a contextual manner using AI, we could build a smarter young population who knows how to learn, understand, reason, present and retain their knowledge forever.