# Will computer network architects be replaced by AI? Updated October 2026 Computer network architects score 55 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 86%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 10% outright, and 4% stays with people. - **10%** AI can do it - **86%** AI helps - **4%** Needs a person High exposure Higher than 85% of the 923 occupations we scored. ## Task by task We graded 33 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 3 of them today, speeds up 28 and leaves 2 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Develop network-related documentation. Drafting technical documentation is strong LLM work; human reviews accuracy. | 70% AI can do it | | Develop and write procedures for installation, use, or troubleshooting of communications hardware or software. Installation and troubleshooting procedures are routine writing AI handles well. | 70% AI can do it | | Monitor and analyze network performance and reports on data input or output to detect problems, identify inefficient use of computer resources, or perform capacity planning. Monitoring tools and AI summarize performance reports; review only. | 62% AI can do it | | Develop procedures to track, project, or report network availability, reliability, capacity, or utilization. Dashboards and AI generate availability and utilization reports; engineer reviews. | 55% AI helps | | Prepare or monitor project schedules, budgets, or cost control systems. Project tools and AI track schedules and costs; manager makes calls. | 55% AI helps | [See what AI can take on across an IT team](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/it/) ## How computer network architects compare All occupations (923) Computer and mathematical (36) **Computer network architects score 55**, 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 60 for computer and mathematical. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $134,050 a year, May 2025 People employed 179,740 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs +7.7% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Write and version network automation playbooks in Ansible - Script configuration changes in Python and PowerShell - Design hybrid networks across AWS and Azure - Build capacity planning models in Microsoft Excel and SQL - Hold the CCNP Enterprise certification from Cisco - Supervise engineers through design and implementation handoffs ## Safer roles nearby 5 related occupations with lower scores. - [Computer hardware engineers51 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/computer-hardware-engineers/) - [IT managers50 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/it-managers/) - [Electronics engineers53 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/electronics-engineers/) - [Telecommunications technicians32 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/telecommunications-technicians/) - [RFID specialists53 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/rfid-specialists/) ## Questions about computer network architects and AI Will AI replace computer network architects? Partly. About 4 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly writing network documentation and troubleshooting procedures. Supervising engineers, coordinating crews on site and presenting designs to customers stay with people. Which tasks will AI take from computer network architects? The two highest exposure tasks are writing network documentation and installation procedures, with an exposure score of 70, because routine technical writing suits language models. Monitoring performance reports follows at 62, so AI drafts the summaries and the architect checks them before anyone acts on them. Which tasks stay with computer network architects? Supervising engineers stays human because it depends on live judgement, mentoring and accountability for their work. Maintaining network peripherals such as printers stays human because the upkeep is physical work at the device. Cross-team negotiation and coordinating crews on site also stay with the architect, since they depend on people. How do computer network architects stay valuable? Take responsibility for the review of AI-drafted runbooks by testing them on Linux hosts before release. Write and version network automation in Ansible and Python, so you control what runs in production. Lead design sessions and sign off customer proposals, since those rely on judgement and accountability. ## Related jobs - [Network engineers59 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/computer-network-support-specialists/) - [Systems administrators58 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/systems-administrators/) - [Systems analysts59 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/systems-analysts/) - [Software developers59 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/software-developers/) ## Next steps for computer network architects - ### 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.