The Chinese Academy of Engineering released a report on the 2025 Global Engineering Fronts at the opening ceremony of the ongoing 2026 Zhongguancun Annual Forum, which opened in Beijing on Wednesday, highlighting the importance of artificial intelligence in driving a leap forward in the field.

The report, published annually since 2017, aims to provide insights for academic research, industrial development and policymaking. Based on an analysis of multisource data, including high-impact papers, patents and science news, this year's report identified 94 engineering research fronts and 95 engineering development fronts. Among them, 74 are closely related to AI.

These include leaps in energy material performance and shortened research and development cycles, supported by big data analysis, intelligent design and high-throughput automated experiments. In addition, research on multi-agent construction and collaborative technologies is gaining traction, leading the transition of AI from single-agent to system intelligence.

The report underscored the growing integration of AI with engineering, advancing engineering practices into a new phase characterized by automation, systematization and intelligence. This development leads to fundamental improvements in engineering efficiency and quality, as well as an enhanced ability to address complex problems.

Yang Baofeng, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Harbin Medical University in Heilongjiang province, described AI as "a powerful assistant" in engineering research, emphasizing its important roles in fields such as aerospace, bridge engineering and healthcare.

Yang noted that different AI large language models possess distinct strengths, such as information retrieval, chemical formula analysis and massive data processing, and that AI technology has significantly enhanced research efficiency.

However, he cautioned that AI still plays a supportive role — whether in clinical practice or cutting-edge medical research — emphasizing the importance of sustained laboratory experiments and interdisciplinary research teams.

Peter David Lund, a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters and the Swedish Engineering Academy in Finland, pointed out that AI will play a key role in shaping the future of energy.

"Machine learning has helped solve highly complex problems, such as in smart grids and system sizing. More recently, we have also seen AI applied to plasma stabilization. In fact, AI has helped identify process parameters that keep plasma intact, supporting fusion power research," Lund said.

"These are just the first steps, yet AI has already enabled major achievements in energy. We believe AI will play an even more important role in the future," he added.

Lund expressed optimism about the development of better technologies in the future, highlighting the importance of transforming scientific and technological achievements.

"When we develop new technologies, let's keep in mind the application. The path to market is important already in the development phase," he added.