The advance of artificial intelligence (AI) raises questions about its impact on learning, creativity and efficiency in problem-solving, as well as the ethical implications of its educational use. Engineering education's integration into practical environments still lacks a systematic evaluation of its usefulness and limitations. In this context, INDUSHack, a hackathon organised by the School of Industrial Engineering (ETSII) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), is an optimal environment to analyse the impact of the use of AI tools in educational settings. The hackathon allows students to apply the knowledge acquired in class, promote innovation, and establish links between engineering and society, enhancing transversal skills aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, this initiative was an innovative milestone in its initial context since, until then, hackathons were predominantly associated with technological innovation centres, entrepreneurship spaces or companies with a strong focus on R&D activities. Implementing this format in an academic environment, specifically in a technical engineering school, generated a significant precedent that stimulated other institutions and companies with less research tradition to develop similar events, highlighting their relevance and transformative potential. AI is presented as a tool with great potential for problem-solving, but its actual impact on learning, creativity and efficiency of solutions remains uncertain. This study analyses the use of AI in a hackathon with 60 participants, measuring how and at what stages of the process they use AI, what tools they use, and whether they perceive that it improves their performance. Through different surveys applied before, during and after the event, it will assess the prior knowledge of AI, its adoption in problem-solving and its impact on student's confidence, and the quality and innovation of the solutions generated. The results will provide evidence of the role of AI in challenge-based learning environments, allowing us to identify its usefulness, limitations and impact on the development of key competencies for engineering and sustainability. In addition, recommendations will be established to optimise its integration in training experiences, maximising its effectiveness in acquiring educational and professional skills.

Keywords: Hackathon, Engineering Education, Artificial Intelligence, Challenge-based learning, AI Ethics, Educational innovation.