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How exposed to AI is a Electrical Engineer?

Of the 22 tasks O*NET lists for electrical engineers, 3 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 8 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Circuits EngineerDesign EngineerElectrical Controls EngineerElectrical Design EngineerElectrical EngineerElectrical Project EngineerEngineerInstrumentation and Electrical Reliability Engineer (I&E Reliability Engineer)Project EngineerTest Engineer
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
22
tasks rated for this occupation
89%
hold a degree, from a survey of 20
186k
people do this job in the US
33 of 56
least protected in architecture and engineering

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

3
  • Compile data and write reports regarding existing or potential electrical engineering studies or projects
  • Prepare specifications for purchases of materials or equipment
  • Plan or implement research methodology or procedures to apply principles of electrical theory to engineering projects

Only with software built on top

11
  • Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks
  • Prepare technical drawings, specifications of electrical systems, or topographical maps to ensure that installation and operations conform to standards and customer requirements
  • Confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products
  • Perform detailed calculations to compute and establish manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications
  • Estimate labor, material, or construction costs for budget preparation purposes
  • Investigate customer or public complaints to determine the nature and extent of problems
  • Design electrical systems or components that minimize electric energy requirements, such as lighting systems designed to account for natural lighting
  • Plan layout of electric power generating plants or distribution lines or stations
  • Collect data relating to commercial or residential development, population, or power system interconnection to determine operating efficiency of electrical systems
  • Develop systems that produce electricity with renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, or biofuels
  • Integrate electrical systems with renewable energy systems to improve overall efficiency

Cannot be sped up

8
  • Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes
  • Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements
  • Supervise or train project team members, as necessary
  • Conduct field surveys or study maps, graphs, diagrams, or other data to identify and correct power system problems
  • Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget
  • Inspect completed installations and observe operations to ensure conformance to design and equipment specifications and compliance with operational, safety, or environmental standards
  • Assist in developing capital project programs for new equipment or major repairs
  • Investigate or test vendors' or competitors' products
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.