# Will AI replace computer hardware engineers? Updated October 2026 Computer hardware engineers score 51 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 79%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 13% outright, and 8% stays with people. - **13%** AI can do it - **79%** AI helps - **8%** Needs a person High exposure Higher than 77% of the 923 occupations we scored. ## Task by task We graded 18 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 2 of them today, speeds up 14 and leaves 2 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction. LLMs draft detailed functional specs well; engineers review technical accuracy. | 65% AI can do it | | Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements. Data storage, retrieval and scripted analysis are highly automatable today. | 60% AI can do it | | Specify power supply requirements and configuration, drawing on system performance expectations and design specifications. AI can calculate power budgets; engineers verify safety margins. | 50% AI helps | | Select hardware and material, assuring compliance with specifications and product requirements. AI can compare datasheets to specs; engineers make final selections. | 45% AI helps | | Analyze user needs and recommend appropriate hardware. AI can draft hardware recommendations from stated user requirements. | 45% AI helps | [See what AI can take on across an IT team](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/it/) ## How computer hardware engineers compare All occupations (923) Architecture and engineering (56) **Computer hardware engineers score 51**, marked by the dark line. Each dot is a score, darker where more occupations share it. The short marks show the averages, 37 for all occupations and 47 for architecture and engineering. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $161,740 a year, May 2025 People employed 76,660 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs +9.1% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Review AI-drafted functional specifications for technical accuracy - Verify power budgets and safety margins in SPICE - Write hardware test scripts in Python and Perl - Write and verify Verilog and SystemVerilog hardware designs - Lead architecture decisions for CPUs and custom integrated circuits - Hold a Professional Engineer (PE) license for signed designs ## Safer roles nearby 5 related occupations with lower scores. - [Electrical engineering technicians45 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/electrical-engineering-technicians/) - [Microsystems engineers50 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/microsystems-engineers/) - [Robotics technicians34 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/robotics-technicians/) - [Mechatronics engineers48 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/mechatronics-engineers/) - [Electrical engineers47 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/electrical-engineers/) ## Questions about computer hardware engineers and AI Will computer hardware engineers be replaced by AI? Partly. About 4 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly writing functional specifications and storing, retrieving, and analyzing data. Engineers still review technical accuracy, make final component selections, and decide the architecture. Will AI take over computer engineering? AI can already do 13% of the task time in computer engineering and speeds up another 79%. People still do 8% of it. The US has 76,660 computer hardware engineer jobs, with a projected change of +9.1% from 2024 to 2034. Which tasks is AI taking over for computer hardware engineers? Functional specifications and data handling come first. Writing detailed functional specs carries an exposure score of 65, and storing, retrieving, and scripting analysis of system requirements scores 60, so AI drafts specs well while engineers review technical accuracy. Power supply specifications follow at 50, since AI can calculate power budgets while engineers verify the safety margins. Which tasks stay human for computer hardware engineers? Physical assembly and rework of equipment stays human, because it needs skilled hands on real hardware. Directing technicians and design staff also stays with people, since it is interpersonal and accountable work. Physical prototyping remains manual, and AI only helps set up the simulations. How can computer hardware engineers stay valuable as AI spreads? Shift time toward bench work, architecture, and review of AI output. Check every AI-drafted spec and power budget in SPICE and MATLAB before release. Keep assembly and rework skills sharp on physical prototypes, and lead CPU and custom integrated circuit architecture decisions in Verilog and SystemVerilog projects. ## Related jobs - [Electronics engineers53 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/electronics-engineers/) - [Software developers59 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/software-developers/) - [Electrical maintenance technicians37 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/electrical-maintenance-technicians/) - [Software testers64 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/software-testers/) ## Next steps for computer hardware engineers - ### Check your job Your job title is a rough guide. Your actual tasks decide your score. Paste your job description or CV and see which of your tasks AI can do. [Check your job](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-exposure-checker/) [Check your CV](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/cv-checker/) ### Check which roles in your team AI can take on We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) ## Related topics - [**Jobs AI can't replace**Cement masons score lowest, at 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-cant-replace/) - [**Jobs most at risk from AI**Proofreaders score highest, at 76.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-most-exposed-to-ai/) - [**High-paying jobs with low AI exposure**Radiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/high-paying-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Entry-level jobs with low AI exposure**Cement masons need little prior training and score 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/entry-level-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Jobs AI speeds up the most**For natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-speeds-up/) - [**AI and jobs in Malta**15 iGaming roles graded task by task.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/malta/) - [**Skills that keep work human**The skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/skills/) - [**Jobs A to Z**Every job we publish, by first letter.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs/) - [**AI exposure by industry**Average scores for 22 occupation groups.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industries/) - [**Write a CV screening software can read**How applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/cv-screening-guide/) - [**AI for businesses**The tasks to automate first in each team and industry.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/) - [**How we score AI exposure**The grading, the weights and every source.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/) Occupation data from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and modified by Aigentcy. O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Wage, employment and projection data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. EU occupation names from ESCO, European Commission. AI usage signals from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY) and Microsoft Research (CC BY 4.0). [Methodology and sources](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). Scores © Aigentcy. Quote them with a link to the page.