2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper provides a framework for discussion of the AI topics, themes, and issues raised and addressed by the papers in this session.

Viewed at the most general level, these papers span a broad range of current thinking and practice regarding AI in engineering education. One of the four papers presents and analyzes data from a survey regarding faculty and student attitudes toward using AI in engineering education, including concerns about its appropriate uses. Two papers present examples of the successful use of AI tools to improve a specific course. The fourth paper gives an overview of a college-wide effort to re-conceptualize and redesign its engineering curricula so that AI tools are integrated throughout and students are prepared for the work they will do as engineers after graduation.

This paper will provide a discussion-initiating commentary on the papers in the session by adding specific details from each of them that flesh out the above general descriptions, and I will add a couple of examples that expand on what I see as the core of the curriculum redesign effort described in the fourth paper. Changes in technology have frequently led to changes in engineering education, for example, paper, ink, and T-square technical drawing courses have disappeared, and our students no longer use slide rules. The engineering education community has been reactive regarding such past changes rather than proactive. I view the curricular project described in the fourth paper as proactive, and I will add two or three brief descriptions of other proactive responses.

My presentation in the conference session will be brief and pointed, and I plan to transition directly from my comments to a general discussion based on all of the presentations.