abstract
- In response to the rapid and continuous needs of Industry 4.0 and 5.0, this paper presents an innovative educational approach developed in a Smart Factory, called FrED Factory, as part of a global classroom between Tecnologico de Monterrey and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The focus is on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as large language models (LLM¿s) similar to ChatGPT, to create a troubleshooting chatbot system. This AI-powered tool assists students in solving industrial problems by providing real-time access to equipment manuals and past experiences during their use of industrial machines in the lab. The chatbot also generates direct links to the specific section of the manuals where more information is available, allowing students to access additional and detailed information when needed. Results from surveys conducted with current students and alumni suggest that the chatbot supports problem-solving and contributes to knowledge retention. In addition, the chatbot¿s conversation history allows us to identify what students search for the most and where they encounter the most problems. The findings highlight the importance of integrating AI-powered tools to bridge the gap between traditional education and the evolving requirements of industry. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.