Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education by enabling personalized learning, enhancing student engagement, and supporting academic decision-making. In engineering education, where early program attrition remains a persistent challenge, AI-driven tools can play a critical role in helping students make informed choices from the outset of their academic journey. This paper presents Engineer Xplorer, an innovative AI-powered platform designed to improve retention and reduce program changes among first-year engineering students through immersive technologies. The platform integrates 360° video tours of engineering laboratories, interactive AI avatars, and curated program-specific informational content across 17 engineering disciplines. These elements are strategically deployed to provide students with an experiential preview of their potential academic pathways. The study involved students divided into an experimental group who engaged with the immersive content, and a control group who followed traditional program exploration methods. Quantitative data were collected through post-experience surveys using a 1 -to-10 rating scale. Results indicate significantly higher levels of student satisfaction in the experimental group. Students reported greater clarity about program expectations and increased confidence in their academic choices. These findings suggest that immersive AI-based experiences are associated with improved program alignment and may help reduce attrition. The study concludes that integrating AI and virtual reality into orientation and decision-making processes can positively impact student retention. By offering real-time support, increased accessibility, and personalized exploration, Engineer Xplorer demonstrates a scalable model for improving the first-year experience in engineering education.
