The rapid rise in artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked concern among the majority of engineers, with many fearing that their jobs are at risk due to automation.
A recent study from Great Learning found that 67.5% of engineers feel their jobs are negatively affected by AI, while 87.5% believe that increased qualities are important in protecting their careers in the face of technical disruption.
The ability of AI to automate everyday tasks and perform complex data analytics is to rebuild the engineering environment.
According to estimates, 20-40% of engineering tasks can be automated within the next 10 years.
Why engineers need to upsklill
Excellent Learning Upskill Trend Report 2024-25 87.5% of engineers emphasized that upskills are key to preventing their careers in the future.
Additionally, 89% of engineers are expected to acquire new hard skills, with AI and ML being the most in demand. An astounding 86% have expressed the demand for highly skilled AI in generator AI.
Speaking about this shift, Dr. Dinesh Seth, Dean of Engineering and Technology at MIT World Peace University in Pune, said, “The role of engineers will be greatly affected as AI becomes more common due to the automation of routine tasks across all engineering fields.”
This leads to less demand for certain types of traditional engineering jobs, leading to a shift to a role that requires higher levels of AI problem solving and integration.
Engineers who specialize in AI-related skills such as machine learning (ML) and data analytics are likely to maintain demand, while engineers who fail to adapt can face job anxiety.
“Today's engineers need to focus on overseeing and interpreting AI output, integrate AI with existing systems and focus on managing AI-driven processes,” added Dr. Seth.
According to the professor, engineering jobs with repetitive or routine tasks, jobs with standard procedures or well-defined rules, and jobs that rely heavily on data analysis are at a higher risk of redundancy due to AI.
“As AI takes over more routine tasks, roles that require more skill or human judgment will become more demanded,” said Dr. Mangesh v Bedekar, dean of Computer Engineering & Technology.
“Engineers who lack skills in AI and data analytics will find themselves at a disadvantage,” added Dr. Bedekar.
Engineering Employment Issues
“One of the main reasons why many engineering alumni are thought to be unemployed today is the inconsistency of skills and industry demands,” commented Hari Krishnan Nair, co-founder of Great Learning.
According to the 2023 Indian Skills Report, only 46% of engineering graduates are considered to be employed. This stems from a significant academic gap, particularly the lack of application-based education,” he adds.
He also notes the often lack of standard engineering pedagogy to prepare fresh people for the transition from graduation to work.
“The inflexible curriculum, inadequate focus on skills and capabilities, and limited exposure to industrial advancement further expands this gap,” he says.
He also mentions yet another employment issue. The recession of fresh employment within the IT sector is getting worse, with many top Indian IT companies delaying onboarding new graduates for more than two years.
As a result, graduates are increasingly exploring alternatives to improve their employability.
What skills do engineers need now?
The rise of AI is already affecting the kind of engineers that employers are trying to hire. To be relevant to the job market, engineers need to focus on developing skills that complement AI technology.
Engineers who can bridge the gap between traditional engineering roles and AI-driven systems are highly demanded.
Engineers with skills in AI, machine learning and data analytics are in high demand as companies are trying to integrate AI into their businesses, Dr. Seth said.
“Creativity, complex problem solving and critical thinking skills continue to be valuable as these cannot be replaced with AI yet,” he added.
While many engineering tasks pose risks to automation, the rise of AI also brings new opportunities.
Dr. Bedekar said: “Not everything is dark. AI is also expected to create new opportunities and transform existing roles, leading to shifts rather than complete employment cuts.”
“The rise of Ai-Augmented Engineering requires engineers to work with AI systems. They need to focus on tasks that require human creativity and complex decision-making, but AI handles more of the data-driven and repetitive aspects,” he adds.
Additionally, Dr. Seth said the number of AI-related job openings and data science is on the rise, leading to campus placement in these areas.
For this reason, “students with experience in AI projects, internships, or specialized courses are gaining more attention.”
“There is also a noticeable increase in recruitment by startups and tech companies that focus on AI innovation,” he says.
As AI continues to redefine the job market, engineers must embrace lifelong learning to remain relevant.
“To survive and thrive in a new AI environment, engineers need to embrace lifelong learning, develop AI and data science skills, and focus on roles that AI cannot easily replace,” added Dr. Seth.
