The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a multifaceted approach to augmenting the development of tasks within both industry and education. One area that shows great potential for growth is the use of AI in engineering design. Here, the analysis of key features and previous developments, such as patents, which are often complex and challenging to analyze, can be enhanced.

With a group of undergraduate students of mechanical engineering, activities were developed, which involved the approach of creative solutions to engineering design problems at different levels of complexity. The development of alternative solutions was supported by AI in two ways: first, using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) to create spaces for discussion and co-creation. The second approach entailed the utilization of basic data analysis algorithms, facilitating the examination of needs in accordance with the technique of quality function deployment (QFD). This examination was then employed to guide the systematic development of solutions, underpinned by the techniques of functional decomposition and energy and material flows.

A comprehensive set of qualitative and quantitative metrics was devised to assess the impact of AI in the creative exercise and the interaction between the student and the tools. Although the analysis of results is still ongoing, preliminary observations suggest that students employ their own strategies to generate alternatives in dialogue with the GAI agent, recognizing that the agent serves as a tool and does not supersede human judgment in assessing the technical feasibility of solutions. The quality of the solutions exhibits heterogeneity across the alternatives proposed for each design problem, which is sufficient to identify divergences in the creative process of the students, although further investigation is necessary to explore this aspect more thoroughly. A comparison of the differences in the solutions with respect to students who did not have the support of IA tools is also necessary.

The ethical debate concerning the originality of the proposed alternatives and the manner in which a student can defend the creative process as part of an original development is established.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, engineering education, creativity in design.