FUTURE OF AI IN ENGINEERING 

BRIEFING ON AI 

So by now, every student in this globe from the age above 17 is very familiar with the word AI(Artificial intelligence). There is no introduction required for what it is doing in today's world in the last few years. The revolutionary upheaval has taken place to create an intelligence that is not human but still is equivalent and sometimes more advanced and technical than a normal human brain can work. It's a collection of different brains. 

AI is benefitting today's youth in various ways. It aids personalized information to the capability and capacity of that student, it gives personalized learning through adaptive educational platforms, provides access to various information, and assists in skill development through interactive tools. AI helps in career guidance to young individuals and make informed decisions about their future. 
Jumping to the topic, let's see what AI means in simple terms. 

AI 

AI or artificial intelligence refers to the development of computer systems that are capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks can be learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, language understanding, and even interaction. 

TYPES OF AI 

1. Narrow AI(Weak AI): it is designed to perform specific tasks. In our day-to-day life examples can be Siri in Apple products and Alexa from Amazon. These AI systems Excel in defined areas but lack broader cognitive abilities. 
2. General AI (Strong AI): this is a theoretical form of AI that possesses human-like cognitive abilities. To apply knowledge across various tasks, allowing it to process and understand, learn. As of now, this AI does not exist, but current AI systems are narrow in scope limiting their usage. 
3. Artificial superintelligence(ASI): it does not exist at all but knowing about it, it is just hypothetical and raises ethical and existential questions. 

WHEN WAS THE TERM AI COINED? 

70 years in 1955 during the Dartmouth conference, computer scientist John McCarthy coined the word “Artificial intelligence”. He is considered one of the founding fathers of artificial intelligence and since then the study and applications have begun on the development of intelligent machines. 

Let me not bore you all people with this history of AI 

How much power does AI have to inculcate in studies about it, its depth, its every and every neck and nook? 

The computer languages and the simplest and highest level language which is Python are best used for studying AI and machine learning. 

The AI specializations inculcate machine learning courses that allow students to deeply research these fields. Research opportunities engage students to do projects that are vastly onto AI and contribute the depth advancements in the field.

When AI is integrated with other technologies, computer science engineering professionals are well-equipped to integrate with other emerging and highly demanded sectors in the computer science field which are IoT (Internet of things), blockchain, cloud computing, creation of innovative and holistic solutions.

Computer Science Engineering programs often include discussions on ethical considerations, which is crucial when developing AI systems that impact society. 

For example, let’s consider a situation where we are telling a human to give us the best coffee in the world and we are telling a machine inculcated with AI overpowered. The human tries to bring us the best coffee let’s say from the best coffee maker or else he would suggest the most costliest coffee seeming to be considered the best overall, but AI on the other hand keeps the “best” in its programming and will work upon to get it, it might take 10, 20 or maybe 50 years to bring the best ones and it won’t mind the consequences it might create during this process, so there is a very big limitation which is not validating to make it completely functional, for that we as humans must consider every permutation and combinations to know what all it might do and give limitations accordingly. 

Understanding the societal impact of AI, including issues related to bias, fairness, and accountability, is an essential aspect covered in computer science engineering programs.

Power of AI in different fields

Recent news coverage levitates us with the prediction that AGI is capable of matching human intelligence, and emerges out in less than 3 years. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang anticipates its arrival within 2029. These predictions underscore rapid advancements in AI and we need to prepare for the ethical challenges that AGI might bring. 

AI has produced a list of 2M new materials that science has never known about. This is 45 times more than the number of such substances unearthed in the history of science. 

Well coming to the field of Electronics and semiconductors relating with ECE the solar cells to superconductors, AI has the power to cut short years of experimental graft and develop improvised products and processes satisfying every need. “From microchips to batteries and photovoltaic discovery of inorganic crystals has been discovered with trial and error approaches,” the Nature paper says. But AI enables us to do the work in magnitude expanse in stable materials to humanity. 

Potential applications of new compounds include inventing versatile layered materials and developing neuromorphic computing, which uses chips to mirror the working of the human brain…. Isn’t this quite fascinating? 

Well, whatever we saw now was advanced after doing engineering, perusing masters, and acing into depths near to p.hd levels but why don’t we see the purposes serving of AI in every field of engineering? 

AI FUTURE WITH ENGINEERING

The integration of AI in various engineering disciplines demonstrates its versatility and transformative impact on traditional practices. As technology continues to advance, the role of AI in engineering is expected to grow, bringing forth innovative solutions and improving the overall efficiency and sustainability of engineering processes.

AI has found its applications in every engineering branch and enhanced efficiency, automation, and problem-solving capacity.

1. Computer Engineering 

Hardware design, software development tasks like code optimization, bug detection, error correction, and automated testing. Cybersecurity helps prevent anonymous threats, pattern recognition, and predictive analysis. 

 2. Electronics and communications 

Being from an ECE background an experience of half a semester helped me to dive deep into it and find out about it thoroughly. Here I present about Electronics and communication engineering with AI advancements when done with this branch. AI has the key purpose of serving enhancement and functionality capabilities of electronic systems and networks 

# Signal processing includes speech and image recognition which is vastly used in today’s mobile techs and office entities, AI helps to improve the accuracy and efficiency of signal processing. Audio and video compressions help decrease the bandwidth required for audio and video transmission 

# Wireless communication: AI helps to mitigate interference in wireless communications by improving signal quality, AI is employed for dynamic resource allocation by enhancing network performance, 

# IoT: one of the most used applications of ECE includes our daily devices which are intelligent enough for decision-making as industrial automation, and smart homes. AI helps with energy consumption in IoT devices extending its battery life in the connected embedded systems. 

# Embedded systems: for real-time processing, enabling applications like autonomous vehicles and robotics, smart sensors which are very intelligent to adapt and react to surroundings based on all environment factor conditions applied. 

3. Mechatronics engineering is the combination of almost all the engineering branches subjects though it seems to be a combination of mechanical, electronics, and computer science engineering. AI has vast doing with this branch.  In mechatronics, AI algorithms enhance automation, control, and decision-making processes. This synergy results in innovative solutions, such as smart manufacturing systems, autonomous robots, and intelligent machines capable of learning and adapting to dynamic environments. The integration of mechatronics and AI drives advancements in robotics, industrial automation, and various other fields too. 

4. In the electrical and electronics engineering branch AI has efficiency in optimising the power grids, signal processing, and device functionality. AI enhances efficiency and decision-making in electrical systems, fostering advancements in smart grids, communication networks, and intelligent devices, revolutionizing how we generate, transmit, and consume electrical energy.

In the realm of engineering, AI emerges as a formidable force, reshaping our understanding of what is achievable. Creating an resistance even if it sounds quite fascinating works with a lot of intelligence. It's not merely about automating tasks; it's about redefining the very essence of problem-solving. AI enables engineers to delve into traditional boundaries, unleashing creativity, and ingenuity in ways never imagined before.

Picture a world where infrastructure is self-monitoring and adapting, where machines learn and optimize themselves in real-time, and where every engineering challenge is met with the precision and insight of intelligent algorithms. This is the promise of AI in engineering — a future where efficiency knows no bounds, where complexity is met with computational elegance, and where human ingenuity is augmented, not replaced.

The power of AI in engineering is not just in its algorithms; it's in the transformative impact it has on our ability to shape a future where the boundaries of what we can achieve are limited only by the scope of our imagination.

In summary, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across various engineering disciplines is revolutionizing the industry. From civil and mechanical engineering to electronics and communication, AI enhances efficiency, automates processes, and drives innovation. This synergy not only optimizes traditional engineering practices but also unlocks new possibilities, ushering in an era where intelligent technologies shape the future of every engineering field, offering unprecedented solutions to complex challenges and driving the evolution of industries toward greater automation, sustainability, and intelligence.

DEMERITS FOR AI IN ENGINEERING 

The issue primarily addressed and still, now a concerning point and making scientists not explore more is Job displacement concerns which arise from automation replacing routine tasks, impacting employment. Ethical issues surface due to biases in training data properly, most importantly the over-reliance on AI decreases human thinking, and problem-solving skills in engineering where engineers are meant to be called problem solvers. 

Data privacy and security become critical for handling sensitive information, Mika robot the first robot CEO was about to reveal information about the company where it lacked sales, management, and logistics issues what I read in a news article. Technical limitations exist with some AI models lacking transparency and struggling with contextual understanding. 

Acknowledging these challenges is essential for responsible AI integration. Addressing ethical concerns mandates eliminating biases and ensuring fairness. Balancing AI automation with human expertise prevents job displacement and maintains critical thinking skills. Rigorous data quality standards and cybersecurity are imperative. Regulatory bodies must adapt swiftly, and energy-efficient AI development is crucial for sustainability. Collaborative efforts are vital to responsibly harness AI's power for engineering advancement.

(Sources from Finance Times, LinkedIn learning, Abhi and Niyu YouTube channel video, AI Now and Beyond from LinkedIn, Coursera, expertise reviews in various fields, ChatGPT for customizing the views and perspectives and editing of texts with Grammarly )

A blog by 

MULA LAKSHMI PRASANNA 
1st year BE student from AU College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam 
Department of ECE