Assessing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Education

Since the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been poised to significantly impact engineering education by enabling real-time problem-solving assistance, personalized learning experiences, and automated grading systems.The potential uses of AI are extensive, particularly in generating detailed responses to specific queries based on its training data.Ongoing investments and rapid advancements in AI are anticipated to drive breakthroughs in adaptive learning, real-time performance feedback, and enhanced simulation tools for engineering education.Despite widespread discussions about AI's role in engineering education, its practical applications in mechanical engineering courses remain limited and largely confined to isolated activities.For example, few courses integrate AI tools into their syllabi, and most use cases are confined to optional student-driven projects or experimental course modules.Current applications are mostly observed in report writing, such as generating content drafts, paraphrasing sections, and formatting citations, and in computer programming for debugging, code optimization, and script generation.This paper highlights the need for more examples demonstrating AI's potential to enhance student learning and critical thinking in engineering courses.