Engineering students’ perspectives on how generative AI is reshaping engineering skills and education: a multi-institution qualitative study

Generative artificial intelligence is reshaping engineering practice and education, yet limited empirical evidence shows how engineering students anticipate its impact. This paper reports an inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 48 engineering students across year levels at three Australian universities. Students described GenAI as an on-demand tutor and productivity aid, but cautioned that over-reliance may weaken critical thinking, independent problem-solving, and creativity. They anticipated a shift in the value of engineering work, with routine production tasks becoming easier to outsource while decision-making under constraints, communication, collaboration, and accountability become more central. Students emphasised GenAI literacy, including knowing when not to use GenAI and verification practices to address hallucinations and limited contextual understanding. They called for clearer guidance and assessment designs that prioritise reasoning and quality assurance over blanket bans.