Generative AI in Engineering Design Education – Perspectives from Educators

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies have advanced remarkably in recent years, exhibiting significant impacts on the design sector. Generative AI (Gen AI) tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL·E, have been increasingly explored and employed to support a wide range of design activities, including idea generation and evaluation. As these tools become more embedded in industry practice, there is an increasing need to better equip engineering design students with the Gen AI knowledge and skills necessary to gain a competitive edge in their profession. However, there is currently a lack of standardised guidance or established frameworks for effectively embedding Gen AI into engineering design curricula, leading to skills and knowledge gaps between industry demands and academic preparation for industry readiness. This study explores the perspectives of design educators regarding the integration of Gen AI education within their educational settings. Semi-structured interviews are conducted, and the results are thematically analysed to identify current practice, perceived challenges and opportunities, and support being considered or implemented. The findings highlight a collective awareness of the need for responsible and effective integration of Gen AI in design education and provide useful insights for informing future development of relevant teaching strategies, guidance, and curricular frameworks. This paper contributes to the growing body of knowledge in research on design education, artificial intelligence, engineering design and innovation, laying the foundation for future studies to better embed Gen AI in engineering design education, preparing students as future-ready designers in an AI-augmented design landscape.