<p>The information age of the Third Industrial Revolution, marked by the rise of computerscience and information technology, also saw advances in mechanical engineeringeducation. The spread of CAD and CAE tools, the incorporation of mechatronics intoacademic curricula, and the emergence of outcome-based education such as ABETEC2000 and CDIO (Conceive–Design–Implement–Operate) became a turning point,reversing the declining interest in the field among students and driving educationalinnovation. Amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with artificial intelligence as a keydriving force, there is a demand for a transformation of teaching and learning methodsthrough data-driven intelligence and a fundamental change in academic curricula withthe emergence of physical AI, the core of general-purpose AI. Generative AI enablespersonalized learning that can enhance learning outcomes in foundational subjects suchas mechanics, while physical AI points toward a new paradigm of integrative educationthat transcends traditional mechanical engineering. Building on lessons from theinformation age, this paper proposes an AI-native mechanical engineering education framework, encompassing a curriculum roadmap, a competency model, teaching andlearning methodologies, rubrics, and educational innovation cases.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>