3. Artificial Intelligence and Future of Systems Engineering

Systems Engineering (SE) is in the midst of a digital transformation driven by advanced modeling tools, data integration, and resulting “digital twins.” Like many other domains, the engineering disciplines will see transformational advances in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to automate many routine engineering tasks. At the same time, applying AI, ML, and autonomation to complex and critical systems needs holistic, system-oriented approaches. This will encourage new systems engineering methods, processes, and tools. It is imperative that the SE community deeply understand emerging AI and ML technologies and applications, incorporate them into methods and tools, and ensure that appropriate SE approaches are used to make AI systems ethical, reliable, safe, and secure. This chapter presents a road mapping activity undertaken by the Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC). The goal is to broadly identify opportunities and risks that might appear as this evolution proceeds as well as potentially provide information that guides further research in both SE and AI/ML.