Engineering, Computer Science and AI combined

Cedrik Törpel is originally from Monheim in North Rhine-Westphalia. Even back then, he knew that a degree in mechanical engineering would be a good fit for him. He eventually came across the “AI Engineering – Artificial Intelligence in Engineering” degree programme at Otto von Guericke University online and, given his prior knowledge of computer science, decided to study in Magdeburg. Törpel has now settled into life in Magdeburg and is happy with his choice of degree. “The course meets my expectations and I particularly like the fact that we do a lot of practical work without getting bogged down in theory. It feels as though half of our course content is practical in nature,” commented the native of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The 52-student programme “AI Engineering – Artificial Intelligence in Engineering” has been the first of its kind in the state since 2023. What makes it special is that it acts as an interface between the fields of computer science and engineering. The basic idea behind the programme is that there is great potential for collaboration between, for example, practitioners in engineering disciplines such as mechanical engineers and computer scientists. However, according to the AI Engineering students, mechanical engineers and computer scientists tend to keep to themselves and do not understand one another or their respective disciplines. The AI Engineering programme aims to bridge this gap. Students are expected to apply skills from both fields and be able to communicate knowledge of engineering and computer science to outsiders. Artificial intelligence forms the interface between the two disciplines. The programme is offered as a collaborative degree programme. After the fourth of a total of seven semesters, students can choose a specialisation at OVGU or other universities in Saxony-Anhalt.

Whilst the first four semesters cover the fundamentals of engineering and computer science, this knowledge is often applied in collaboration with companies during the students’ projects. Törpel himself is currently involved in a group project. With the help of AI, 3D environments are to be processed in order to recognise objects and maintain them. The AI is programmed by the students themselves and then trained. Cedric Törpel explains how the data and the project’s objectives must first be examined before any programming begins. “You select a specific AI model from the knowledge you have, depending on the use case. You then set about building a sequence using computer code.” Through practical trials, the AI is then fine-tuned for real-world application.

Through such projects, Cedric Törpel’s degree programme aims to harness the potential of AI for technical problems in fields such as industry and medicine. The undergraduate student himself is convinced that there is potential for automation in certain areas of industry. He emphasises that AI is by no means intended to replace human labour, but rather to support it, for instance in tasks that are monotonous or carry a risk of injury. “When dealing with hot objects, for example, it is easier to have robots do the work than humans. Ultimately, however, there will always need to be people to monitor these machines,” explains the student.

After completing his studies, he hopes to use his knowledge to work in management consultancy. At the same time, however, he would also like to do practical work later in his career so that he can develop and implement his own projects, just as he does in his degree programme.