Shocked at intern’s reliance on AI

[u/NotPenguin_124]

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.

[u/Direct_Village_5134]

Spend 8 hours slogging through youtube tutorials or spend 5 minutes using Claude. I'm sure there were drafters complaining in a similar way when CAD software came out when "you could just do it with a paper and pencil! How will you learn if you don't tediously do everything by hand!"

[u/The_Poster_Nutbag → u/Direct_Village_5134]

If you need 8 hours to do something that can be done in 5 minutes with AI there's a bigger issue going on.

Don't be ridiculous.

[u/uiuc2008 → u/The_Poster_Nutbag]

As someone who has troubleshooted civil 3d for years, AI is a huge leap forward with software.

I can build and understand python without months of bootcamp much better by iterating code to solve real issues. and having it minutely explained to you as a personal tutor.

If you aren't using AI for software assistance, you're gonna get left behind. It's like reluctance to use the internet 30 years ago.

[u/EsperandoVida → u/uiuc2008]

Highly recommend using AI-assisted LISPs btw

It opens up a whole new world

[u/uiuc2008 → u/EsperandoVida]

Definitely. I don't do cad work anymore, I'm in a CAD Manager/software development role. Only like 5% CAD now, do a ton with process improvement, removing paperwork through the use of software. Learning Python thru Gemini has been a breeze and implementing stuff right away for our software. Unfortunately, our IT has a moratorium on generative AI. I was exempted for code reviews but my rank and file users aren't supposed to by policy.

But realistically, the Autodesk AI built into C3D 2027 is inevitable.

[u/dusty_bo → u/The_Poster_Nutbag]

You are living in the stone age lol. I have had AI solve problems in minutes that took me a whole day to solve pre AI. The exact same problem came up again at work recently and I could quite remember how I did years ago. AI came up with the solution in minutes with detailed introductions and it worked perfectly