Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses engineering principles for consumer products in what the people term the “Age of Intelligence.” It presents a unified framework for hardware–software convergence in artificial intelligence, AI-enabled consumer systems such as smartphones, electric vehicles, and probably humanoid robots. The book provides young engineering professionals entering the workforce with conceptual frameworks and practical guidance for navigating the rapidly evolving technological landscape of the Age of Intelligence. It employs several distinctive approaches in its presentation of engineering and its applications in the Age of Intelligence. The book also presents an engineer's perspective during the transition from the Information Era to the Age of Intelligence, with particular focus on AI's transformative role.