AI generates code, simulations, and designs in seconds—but only those who have mastered the fundamentals can evaluate it. With the “AI in Education” project, the Hamburg University of Technology is shaping its teaching to address this interaction between humans and machines.

Fundamentals Remain the Benchmark

AI writes code, runs simulations, and delivers initial designs in seconds. This leads to the conclusion that fewer fundamentals will be needed in the future. The opposite is true. Anyone who wants to assess whether a machine-generated result is physically sound, manufacturable, and safe must understand the physics behind it. Humans become the standard by which the machine is measured, and you cannot apply a standard that you do not possess. This is precisely where the Hamburg University of Technology comes in, enhancing its teaching by striking a balance between foundational knowledge, critical competence in using new tools, and the necessary ability to evaluate and make decisions.

A New Form of Teaching and Learning

This adjustment does not represent a loss of what already exists, but rather an opportunity for a new form of teaching and learning. As part of this expansion of our teaching capabilities, the fundamentals will continue to be taught by real people who are passionate about their field. They may be supported by AI tools that operate under the responsibility of the instructors. These tools curate personalized exercises, present challenges, provide feedback at any time of day, and adapt to the students’ level of learning, even in large classes. Academic oversight and the careful handling of learning data remain the responsibility of the instructors. This makes teaching more action-oriented because, in line with the mission statement of the Technical University of Hamburg, students work together in teams with their instructors on practical problems, while the AI tool, in coordination with the instructors, provides assistance or specifically increases the level of difficulty. Even assessment is changing. In the future, the focus will be less on testing reproducible knowledge and more on evaluating and defending one’s own decisions. The fundamentals will continue to be acquired and demonstrated without AI.

More Time for Personal Support

The impact extends beyond teaching. Where AI tools reduce the administrative burden, we intend to consciously invest the time freed up in providing personalized support to students, as no machine can replace this. Action-oriented teaching and human interaction have been the key to learning for millennia. The new tools now make it possible to tailor education, even in a rapidly changing professional field, to align with how the work is already taking shape in practice. People make decisions and take responsibility for them; AI generates and assists. The Hamburg University of Technology is thus pursuing its vision of the unity of research and teaching, with solid and fundamental foundations as an unchanging qualification, but supported by personal guidance and a hands-on presence in the experience of decision-making and projects on campus.

The “AI in Education” Project

To make all of this possible, we have been pursuing the “AI in Education” project since early 2026. In seven working groups, we are developing the technical, organizational, and pedagogical foundation to systematically establish AI in teaching at the Technical University of Hamburg, in keeping with our mission statement “Technology for Humanity”. It remains clear, however, that AI makes mistakes and therefore should never be used for uncontrolled grading or testing. The project’s goal is to create an environment that enables and empowers - with clear rules on legal issues and data protection, freedom of choice for faculty, and an ethical framework grounded in a sustainable engineering ethos.