AI Meets Mechanical Engineering | Prof. Saptarshi Basu, IISc | Professors Unplugged

Описание: 📌 Series: Professors Unplugged
📍 Guest: Prof. Saptarshi Basu, Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

Professors Unplugged is a conversation-driven video series where we step beyond classrooms and publications to hear directly from the professors of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) about their research, ideas, and the technologies shaping the future. In each episode, we explore how fundamental science meets real-world impact , through candid discussions, personal insights, and forward-looking perspectives.

In this inaugural episode, we sit down with Professor Saptarshi Basu from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, IISc, to explore how Artificial Intelligence is transforming engineering research.

Professor Basu shares insights from his work in combustion, spray dynamics, and multiphase flows, and discusses how AI is being integrated into mechanical engineering to solve problems that were once considered too complex, expensive, or risky for traditional approaches.

From validating AI models in real-world mechanical systems to addressing ethical challenges in deploying AI in critical applications, this conversation offers a rare glimpse into how cutting-edge research is evolving at one of India’s premier scientific institutions.

We wrap up the episode with a fun rapid-fire round, touching on AI myths, human vs AI innovation, and what kind of personality AI might have if it were a student in the lab.

🎓 Whether you’re a student, researcher, engineer, or simply curious about how AI is shaping science and technology, this episode sets the tone for the conversations to come.

Topics Covered:
AI in mechanical engineering research
Combustion and multiphase flow modeling
AI vs traditional engineering methods
Validation and ethics of AI-driven systems
Advice for students in the age of AI

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:10 When did you first encounter AI being used in your field of research?
5:38 Was there a specific moment that made you realize AI could be a transformative tool for engineers?
27:11 From an engineering viewpoint, what are the most pressing ethical considerations when deploying AI in critical real-world systems?
30:15 What is the single most important piece of advice for young engineering students navigating a future where AI is central to their field?
35:25 When do you think the hierarchy between humans and AI would flip?
42:00 Rapid Fire – AI in research: boon or challenge?
42:22 Humans or AI — who will lead innovation in the next decade?
43:12 One engineering myth AI could finally bust
43:41 Favorite AI application in daily life
44:32 Coffee or coding — which fuels AI breakthroughs in your lab?
45:44 Favorite unexpected place where AI shows up in your daily life
47:18 If AI were a student in your lab, what kind of personality would it have?
48:04 If you could ask AI one question about the universe, what would it be?