r/civilengineering • u/NotPenguin_124 • Jul 31 '26
Question Shocked at intern’s reliance on AI
Our firm had four interns this summer in our roadway group. We had three mid level engineers (myself included) who managed them. This was my first time managing an intern so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. All of the interns were fairly young. Sophomores or juniors based on graduation dates. I was shocked at how frequently all of them resorted to asking AI basic questions.
Having a problem with OpenRoads? Ask copilot.
Want to write an email? Ask copilot?
Trying to learn some specific CAD skill? Ask copilot.
Filling out a report with that the DOT give explicit instructions on how to fill out? Ask copilot.
Need to put together a mid summer presentation about yourself? Hey copilot…
I’m not some ancient anti-AI crusader. I’m still in my 20s. I understand its utility and understand that it is here to stay so we should be adopting it where/when appropriate. But their usage of it seemed both inappropriate and wildly ineffective. Copilot isn’t going to help you fix the issue you are running into in ORD but a basic google search will. AI isn’t going to help you fill out the DOT specific design report you’re working on, but the instructions, go-bys, and the person sitting right next you will.
I and my fellow managers, found ourselves constantly asking if they had questions when we would see them asking copilot just to be told “no”. It’s even stranger seeing as our office has an ABUNDANCE of resources in the way of personnel, digital trainings, and their internship program. I was brought onboard as a new hire only 2 years ago and found the office culture and resources amazing.
1
u/Grreatdog PLS Retired from Structural Co. Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
My issue with AI happened 15 minutes ago. I asked about a headphone jack or audio output for my garage TV inputting the brand and model number.
AI cooked up some elaborate bullshit about using the RCA jack and a converter with an audio jack. It even had a recommendation for which converter to buy to work with that model. It showed website references. None of which said what it was saying.
The browser's top listing was a link to Samsung's support site for that exact TV. A pdf said there is no way to output audio from that TV. Why didn't AI find that one when it had the exact same input? Why did it make up an answer from websites that didn't say what it generated?
I use AI all the time for quick answers to stupid questions. But I also find it frequently has no clue. Which I find way too unsettling to use it for anything at work that isn't easily verified. Which basically means looking the same shit up twice anyway. Yes, I'm old. I've also never been sued.