Will AI replace robotics engineers?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 2h 4m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 5h 56m (74%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 3.7% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 4 of 24 tasks, about 2h 4m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Design software to control robotic systems for applications, such as military defense or manufacturing. (41m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Debug robotics programs. (36m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Provide technical support for robotic systems. (24m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Document robotic application development, maintenance, or changes. (24m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

Not in workplaces like this one, based on a 2026 review of robot deployments. 1 more task has only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so it stays with people here. For 4 physical tasks, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

5h 56m of a typical shift, or 74%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Build, configure, or test robots or robotic applications. (47m a shift)
• Design robotic systems, such as automatic vehicle control, autonomous vehicles, advanced displays, advanced sensing, robotic platforms, computer vision, or telematics systems. (41m a shift)
• Evaluate robotic systems or prototypes. (30m a shift)
• Review or approve designs, calculations, or cost estimates. (24m a shift)
• Process or interpret signals or sensor data. (24m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 80% talk face to face with others every day
• 73% carry high or very high responsibility for other workers' safety
• 60% say a mistake would be very or extremely serious

For the 1 task in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 9h 56m for a person alone and about 1h 6m with AI. These are Claude's own estimates from real conversations in April and May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index). They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. The biggest gaps:

• Design software to control robotic systems for applications, such as military defense or manufacturing (about 9h 56m alone, 1h 6m with AI)

On Indeed, job postings in the Mechanical Engineering sector are at 168% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 43.4% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 8,800 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $122,930 a year ($59.10 an hour), 141% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $66,810 and $189,950 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 173,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 8,800 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 154,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.10% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 211th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 173,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a bachelor's degree: about 50% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 4 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: bachelor's degree. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Technology Design, Programming, Equipment Selection, Troubleshooting
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 5h 56m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: The MathWorks MATLAB, Python, Oracle Java, Linux, Git
• Learn to use AI well on the tasks where it already shows up in this job (listed above)

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Manufacturing Engineers (33m touched, $102k median pay)
• Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (1h 28m touched, $109k median pay)
• Mechanical Engineers (1h 8m touched, $104k median pay)
• Fuel Cell Engineers (0m touched, $104k median pay)
• Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians (50m touched, $75k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 4 observed in real AI use, 20 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.