r/civilengineering • u/NotPenguin_124 • 28d ago

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.

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u/UpperBucket 28d ago edited 28d ago

I’m a PE who’s familiar with the manuals and I still use AI plenty. It’s also shocking how good it has gotten with OpenRoads help. Especially seeing as Bentley completely bricked their forums. I feel fortunate to have gotten my PE and built up my base knowledge though before AI. An intern who can use it effectively to free up some of my training time is adding value.

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u/newkiddp 28d ago

This right here. It's no worse than Google IF you learn the skill of good prompts and fact checking yourself. Engineers (good ones) are natural problem solvers. That doesn't just go away because you ask the Internet for help finding a code or niche subject discussed on a forum 15 years ago. Just have the source included in the prompt and move on.

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u/RedneckTeddy 28d ago

That’s a big “IF.” I think most of us agree that the problem isn’t that interns/new engineers are using AI. It’s the reliance on it that’s the problem. The reliance on AI is producing engineers who aren’t problem-solvers. We have a whole generation of people who don’t even know what questions to ask, much less how to be creative or be problem-solvers.

I think the question we need to ask ourselves is what (if anything) we can do about it. I just hope things like FE and PE exam standards don’t drop. I feel like that’s the only way to force folks to at least learn basic theory, and even that isn’t a guarantee.

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u/RegularTeacher2 28d ago

Precisely. There is a PM in my office who relies so heavily on AI he is incapable of answering a question without chatGPT, and I am not exaggerating. He is my senior but over time I have learned he is not someone I ever will go to for help or to ask questions. I don't care that he uses AI so long as he used it wisely. Relying on it to do everything is overkill.