Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40097637›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

The role of generative AI tools in shaping mechanical engineering education from an undergraduate perspective.

Harshal Akolekar, Piyush Jhamnani, Vikash Kumar, Vinay Tailor, Aditya Pote, Ankit Meena, Kamal Kumar, Jagat Sesh Challa, Dhruv Kumar

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Harshal AkolekarDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, 342030, India.
Piyush JhamnaniDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, 342030, India.
Vikash KumarDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, 342030, India.
Vinay TailorDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, 342030, India.
Aditya PoteDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, 342030, India.
Ankit MeenaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, 342030, India.
Kamal KumarDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, 342030, India.
Jagat Sesh ChallaDepartment of Computer Science & Information Systems, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, 333031, India. jagatsesh@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in.
Dhruv KumarDepartment of Computer Science & Information Systems, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, 333031, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study evaluates the effectiveness of three leading generative AI tools-ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot-in undergraduate mechanical engineering education using a mixed-methods approach. The performance of these tools was assessed on 800 questions spanning seven core subjects, covering multiple-choice, numerical, and theory-based formats. While all three AI tools demonstrated strong performance in theory-based questions, they struggled with numerical problem-solving, particularly in areas requiring deep conceptual understanding and complex calculations. Among them, Copilot achieved the highest accuracy (60.38%), followed by Gemini (57.13%) and ChatGPT (46.63%). To complement these findings, a survey of 172 students and interviews with 20 participants provided insights into user experiences, challenges, and perceptions of AI in academic settings. Thematic analysis revealed concerns regarding AI's reliability in numerical tasks and its potential impact on students' problem-solving abilities. Based on these results, this study offers strategic recommendations for integrating AI into mechanical engineering curricula, ensuring its responsible use to enhance learning without fostering dependency. Additionally, we propose instructional strategies to help educators adapt assessment methods in the era of AI-assisted learning. These findings contribute to the broader discussion on AI's role in engineering education and its implications for future learning methodologies.

Indexed as

ChatGPT, Copilot, GeminiGenerative AIMechanical engineering

Identifiers

PMID40097637
PMCPMC11914194

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.