Electrical Engineers

Low Risk
27%
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Vote Comments (28)
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AUTOMATION RISK
CALCULATED
25%
(Low Risk)
POLLING
29%
(Low Risk)
Average: 27%
LABOR DEMAND
GROWTH
9.1%
by year 2033
WAGES
$106,950
or $51.41 per hour
Volume
185,430
as of 2023
SUMMARY
JOB SCORE
7.9/10

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Calculated automation risk

25% (Low Risk)

Low Risk (21-40%): Jobs in this level have a limited risk of automation, as they demand a mix of technical and human-centric skills.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Originality

  • Social Perceptiveness

User poll

29% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted there's a low chance this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 25% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Electrical Engineers will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?






Sentiment

The following graph is included wherever there is a substantial amount of votes to render meaningful data. These visual representations display user poll results over time, providing a significant indication of sentiment trends.

Sentiment over time (yearly)

Growth

Very fast growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Electrical Engineers' job openings is expected to rise 9.1% by 2033

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2021 and 2031
Updated projections are due 09-2024.

Wages

Very high paid relative to other professions

In 2023, the median annual wage for 'Electrical Engineers' was $106,950, or $51 per hour

'Electrical Engineers' were paid 122.5% higher than the national median wage, which stood at $48,060

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Volume

Greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2023 there were 185,430 people employed as 'Electrical Engineers' within the United States.

This represents around 0.12% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 818 people are employed as 'Electrical Engineers'.

Job description

Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.

SOC Code: 17-2071.00

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Comments

Leave a comment

Pawel (Low) 4 months ago
Need to travel, phisical work required, climbing, dismanteling, if they build relaibale robot with good battery, higher chance of beeing replaced. Until then, risk is low.
1 0 Reply
Eternal Time (Moderate) 5 months ago
I believe when artificial intelligence surges to new heights, and with the addition of other robots and electronics managed in coordination by AI, electrical engineers will surely be replaced. However, this is not likely to happen in the next 20 years, with the closest possibility being after 2044.
0 0 Reply
Atul (Low) 6 months ago
Having complex and intellectual problem solving skill makes it at low risk for automation.
0 0 Reply
Nate johnson 7 months ago
No way.
Imagination is needed for engineering.
Great minds will never be replaced.
Generation automation will take a hit, the automation will be highly driven affected by AI
Electrical instalations will always take humans to set up.
Relegating most repetive tasks will be a pleasure
Surely this will be focused in PID control and dealing with its mathematical complexity
2 0 Reply
John dough 9 months ago
The key aspects AI robots can't take from electrical engineer's role are the diversity of the profession, creativity in designing, and social perceptiveness. Although, the last aspect is one even electrical engineers lack, with many at varying levels. An bright electrical engineer possessing high creativity and social perceptiveness will be very hard to replace.
0 0 Reply
John Dough (revised) 9 months ago
The key aspects that AI robots can't take away from Electrical Engineer's role are the diversity of the profession, creativity in designing, and social perceptiveness. Although, the last aspect is one even current Electrical Engineers lack, with many at varying levels, and few to none at the mastery level. A bright Electrical Engineer possessing high creativity and social perceptiveness will be very hard to replace, nearly impossible.
0 0 Reply
ezkha 9 months ago
I think we should be able to (and must) prevent robots/AIs to become competent in electrical engineering, and thus achieving self replication. There are many uncertainties and possible consequences if the other route is taken instead.

On the other hand, since AIs have a chance to replace software engineering (and maybe also become efficient in cyber security and other CS domains), the ability for it to program itself might be slightly less risky, provided material/physical restrictions for performing certain actions are in place. At least compared to its potential benefits.

Worst case scenario is to have an SCP-079 that causes a massive physical threat to humanity to be unleashed (e.g. takedown of hospitals or containment breach of an darned un-killable XK-scenario hostile reptile being), but at least it isn't the physical threat itself.
0 0 Reply
Just An Hot Take 9 months ago
That doesn't make sense because if you give free will in terms of software for an AI then it can easily learn to control psychical objects through computer networks...

I believe you either block AI self-programming itself or you won't be able to control whatever it wants to do.
0 0 Reply
Wyan Francis (Low) 10 months ago
I’m not sure for certain, I’m just using my own opinionated logic. EE has to do with wiring and building circuits, which AI itself is created on. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that in the future AI won’t be able to do so, but in the near future I don’t think so.
0 0 Reply
Flo 1 year ago
Electrical engineers must use more and more AI to improve their productivity. They even should organize small events to diffuse knowledge among their peers, in order to use technology the best way possible. And this, always keeping in mind the upcoming developments and the future challenges of the organization they work for. They should use AI while adapting the way they do their job to stay useful and in a leading position.
0 0 Reply
Flo 1 year ago
Electrical engineers must use more and more AI to improve their productivity. They even should organize small events to diffuse knowledge among their peers, in order to use technology the best way possible. And this, always keepind in mind the upcoming developments and the future challenges of the organization they work for. They should use AI while adapting the way they do their job to stay useful and in a leading position.
0 0 Reply
Ninjamokama_3 (No chance) 1 year ago
Unless they make robots that are flexible, durable and reliable enough and have developed enough conciousness to replace human labour and thinking, this is going to be a no for me.
1 0 Reply
Matt (Low) 1 year ago
Electrical engineers would be required in the short-medium time frame of AI development to design, manufacture & maintain infrastructure for AI development.
1 0 Reply
Jose 1 year ago
Honestly, I'm an electrical engineer and what I see in AI is that it will simply boost your productivity, but in the short to medium term, I find it very unlikely that it will replace us. I myself use AI tools and I know they make mistakes. On the other hand, you have a lot of human interaction, when talking with operators, distributors, customers, and coordinating all of that. AI is very good, for example, when consulting regulations, but the day an AI can call a subcontractor, understand that Manolo had to leave the construction site because his wife got sick, and that this will cause a delay, then call the customer and explain it and reorganize the entire schedule, we will be talking about an AI that will be capable of doing everything a human does and we will be talking about a very different society.
I am quite skeptical. Only time will tell.
1 0 Reply
cum dump (Low) 2 years ago
At a Master's/PhD level, electrical engineers will always be needed. Even if drafting can easily become fully automated.
0 0 Reply
Peter (Uncertain) 2 years ago
Electrical engineers are the precursors of automation, it is inherent to this profession. The electric grid for example is mostly operated by itself, but always will be necessary for humans to assess for risks and plan and manage improvements, act when a fault occurs, etc.
0 0 Reply
Lovro (No chance) 2 years ago
This is the job that takes away other jobs. Not vice versa
0 0 Reply
Bela Szabo (Low) 3 years ago
Who will be programming the AIs if the electrical engineers are left? I say they will be more than ever.
0 0 Reply
Just An Hot Take 9 months ago
I think you are mistaking computer scientists with EEs. However I believe they share a lot in common. If one goes down, the other goes as well.
0 0 Reply
Josh 3 years ago
I've seen AI do some amazing things when it comes to placement, routing, clock tree synthesis, and fault corrections. Its only a matter of time, and probably sooner than most people think, before AI replaces anyone working on VLSI stuff
0 0 Reply
Devadut S Balan 1 year ago
Mixed circuit design is probably safe. Without data AI cant do much.
0 0 Reply
Steven (No chance) 3 years ago
Electricals Engineers are inherent to the process of automatization.
0 0 Reply
Ferenc Kiss (Uncertain) 3 years ago
Because an electrical engineer needs to invent a machine, which can invent better machine than humans or other engineers can. This can pertain to software as well, instead of machines. And if this happens, the profession of electrical engineering may become obsolete and superfluous.
0 0 Reply
Laurentiu Duma (Low) 4 years ago
Somebody must develop new electrical systems (and find strange failures)
0 0 Reply

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