Courtesy Sharon Spielman
Beyond the Spiel blog graphic

Beyond the Spiel: The Impact of AI in Design

March 14, 2025
In thinking about how so many of the recent events Machine Design has covered have focused on artificial intelligence, I can’t help but wonder how many of our readers might be using this technology in their work.

I couldn’t help but notice the first three events that Machine Design has attended and covered so far this year have centered around artificial intelligence (AI). At MD&M West in Anaheim in the beginning of February, we saw an uptick in AI demos. Then at Dassault Systemes’ 3DExperience World in Houston later that month, generative AI, AI agents and virtual twins were hot topics. Taiwan’s TIMTOS in early March focused on three areas: AI & Robotics, Smart Manufacturing and Sustainability.

The simulation of human intelligence in machines is here to stay; and in the context of mechanical and design engineering, key AI technologies include generative design, machine learning and predictive analysis. AI can drastically reduce design times by generating multiple design options for engineers to consider. Oh, the possibilities!

We’ve seen on the MedTech side of things how AI is facilitating the ability to innovate not only incredible but life-saving technology, such as virtual human twins, as seen in this story about the Living Heart Project.

In other industries such as aerospace, fatigue failure is a challenge when it comes to machine design. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is an important tool to help predict fatigue failure in mechanical designs—and one that increasingly integrates AI and machine learning.

AI holds tremendous potential in making processes faster, more efficient and creatively inspiring. As technology advances, exploring these capabilities will keep engineers on the cutting edge.

So, how are you, our Machine Design audience, using AI in your work? What has been your experience with AI in engineering? I really want to know! Please take the quiz below and then keep reading for a light-hearted story that I prompted a large language model (ChatGPT) to write in honor of Pi Day.

Last year at this time, I asked ChatGPT to tell me a story for mechanical and design engineers about Pi Day. I used the same prompt this time, but ChatGPT gave me a different story. Enjoy this little slice of fun!

I said it last year, and I will say it again: In the spirit of Pi Day, I hope you take with you the spirit of this story—to stay curious and embrace engineering challenges with ingenuity; to approach problems with persistence; to sculpt solutions that echo the elegance of this mathematical constant; and to continue to shape a future where innovation knows no bounds.

About the Author

Sharon Spielman | Technical Editor, Machine Design

As Machine Design’s technical editor, Sharon Spielman produces content for the brand’s focus audience—design and multidisciplinary engineers. Her beat includes 3D printing/CAD; mechanical and motion systems, with an emphasis on pneumatics and linear motion; automation; robotics; and CNC machining.

Spielman has more than three decades of experience as a writer and editor for a range of B2B brands, including those that cover machine design; electrical design and manufacturing; interconnection technology; food and beverage manufacturing; process heating and cooling; finishing; and package converting.

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: @sharonspielman

X: @MachineDesign

Facebook: Machine Design

YouTube: @MachineDesign-EBM

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