A Survey on Generative AI for 3-D CAD in Engineering

AI support in computer-aided design (CAD) is an active research field, generating an increasing number of publications. Recent surveys give a broad overview of this field, each structuring works differently (e.g., by application area). Given this magazine's and special issue's scope, we focus on research relevant to the industrial design process, excluding applications, such as avatar or toy generation. Within this scope, we broaden the discussion beyond core computer graphics and artificial intelligence (AI) to include perspectives from design theory and human cognition, which clarifies CAD's role in designing and how generative AI methods relate to designers' intelligence. We discuss CAD as part of the design process, examine what constitutes designers' intelligence, and how this relates to theories of human intelligence. We analyze current works in generative AI for CAD and how they can be positioned in this landscape. Finally, we discuss limitations and challenges, and identify avenues for future research.