Opens in a new tab
needsahuman.

Will AI replace engineers?

34 jobs scored. On average 49% of the task time in these jobs still needs a person, and the family averages 71 out of 100 on Still needs a human, where higher is safer.

71
Average Still needs a human score, 0 to 100 ↑ safer. Will AI replace them? A little.
34
Jobs scored in this family
49%
Average share of that still needs a person
5.4M
US workers in these jobs

How the work could shift in Engineers

The share of US workers in these jobs whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.

Today
0%
of US workers in this family are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
0%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
84% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
0%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
100% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)

Each job's score moves towards the bottom band (Largely: AI could largely do the job) by the year it could be largely automated, slowly at first and faster later, as adoption usually goes. Each job is run as ten scenarios across its replacement range, so every figure mixes early and late outcomes. The model stops at 2060. How the timeline works

Share of US workers in this family in each verdict band, today to 20600%25%50%75%100%2026: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)100%Today2030: 57.6% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)58%2030: 42.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)42%20302035: 1.7% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2035: 40.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)40%2035: 43.5% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)44%2035: 14.3% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)14%20352040: 7.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)7%2040: 34.1% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)34%2040: 58.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)59%20402045: 0.1% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)2045: 16.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)16%2045: 83.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)84%20452050: 1.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)2050: 99.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)99%20502055: 0.1% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)2055: 99.9% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)100%20552060: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)100%2060
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Share of US workers in this family whose job would sit in each band, year by year. Updated with every release.
Show the data
YearLargelyMostlyPartlyA littleNah
Today (2026)0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%0.0%
20300.0%0.0%42.4%57.6%0.0%
203514.3%43.5%40.4%1.7%0.0%
204058.7%34.1%7.2%0.0%0.0%
204583.7%16.2%0.1%0.0%0.0%
205099.0%1.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
205599.9%0.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2060100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%

Every job in Engineers, ranked

How to read a row: the number is the Still needs a human score, out of 100, higher is safer; “AI replace?” is our answer to “Will AI replace this job?”; the bar is the task split: white AI does it, grey AI helps, amber needs a human.

Automotive EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2141.02
66↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 9%AI helps 70%Needs a human 21%
20402036–2048
297k
$104,110
Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2072
67↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 10%AI helps 51%Needs a human 39%
20402036–2049
97k
$130,220
Mechanical EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2141
68↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 13%AI helps 48%Needs a human 39%
20402036–2049
297k
$104,110
Solar Energy Systems EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2199.11
68↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 74%Needs a human 26%
20412036–2050
154k
$122,930
Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2031
68↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 10%AI helps 40%Needs a human 50%
20402036–2049
23k
$109,370
Industrial EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2112
69↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 69%Needs a human 31%
20402036–2049
366k
$102,440
Energy Engineers, Except Wind and SolarArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2199.03
69↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 10%AI helps 53%Needs a human 37%
20412037–2051
154k
$122,930
Robotics EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2199.08
69↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 19%AI helps 31%Needs a human 50%
20402037–2051
154k
$122,930
Human Factors Engineers and ErgonomistsArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2112.01
70↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 2%AI helps 62%Needs a human 36%
20412037–2051
366k
$102,440
Computer Hardware EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2061
70↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 17%AI helps 19%Needs a human 64%
20412037–2052
77k
$161,740
Electrical EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2071
70↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 4%AI helps 66%Needs a human 30%
20412036–2050
199k
$120,630
Radio Frequency Identification Device SpecialistsArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2072.01
70↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 62%Needs a human 38%
20422037–2053
97k
$130,220
Aerospace EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2011
70↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 8%AI helps 49%Needs a human 43%
20412036–2050
68k
$134,960
Environmental EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2081
70↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 65%Needs a human 35%
20412037–2051
38k
$107,110
Manufacturing EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2112.03
71↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 51%Needs a human 49%
20402036–2050
366k
$102,440
Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2111
71↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 58%Needs a human 42%
20412037–2051
21k
$115,160
Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2151
71↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 60%Needs a human 40%
20412037–2052
6k
$106,220
Validation EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2112.02
71↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 5%AI helps 50%Needs a human 45%
20412037–2052
366k
$102,440
Water/Wastewater EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2051.02
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 55%Needs a human 45%
20412036–2051
368k
$100,840
Fire-Prevention and Protection EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2111.02
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 46%Needs a human 54%
20412037–2052
21k
$115,160
Chemical EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2041
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 47%Needs a human 53%
20412037–2051
21k
$125,040
Photonics EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2199.07
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 6%AI helps 28%Needs a human 66%
20422037–2056
154k
$122,930
Wind Energy EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2199.10
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 53%Needs a human 47%
20412037–2051
154k
$122,930
Petroleum EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2171
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 4%AI helps 49%Needs a human 47%
20412036–2051
18k
$144,910
Transportation EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2051.01
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 43%Needs a human 57%
20412037–2051
368k
$100,840
Materials EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2131
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 51%Needs a human 49%
20412037–2051
23k
$112,860
Mechatronics EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2199.05
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 45%Needs a human 55%
20412037–2052
154k
$122,930
Civil EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2051
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 59%Needs a human 41%
20422037–2052
368k
$100,840
Marine Engineers and Naval ArchitectsArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2121
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 3%AI helps 37%Needs a human 60%
20412037–2052
8k
$112,230
Fuel Cell EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2141.01
74↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 30%Needs a human 70%
20432038–2056
297k
$104,110
Nanosystems EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2199.09
75↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 4%AI helps 21%Needs a human 75%
20432037–2060
154k
$122,930
Microsystems EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2199.06
75↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 31%Needs a human 69%
20422037–2054
154k
$122,930
Nuclear EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2161
75↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 28%Needs a human 72%
20412037–2052
15k
$133,970
Agricultural EngineersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-2021
78↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 17%Needs a human 83%
20422037–2056
1k
$98,590