Jobs · Computer hardware engineer

Will AI replace computer hardware engineers?

Much of the work, but not all of it. AI could take on about 63% of the working time in a typical computer hardware engineer job today. The other 37% still needs a person.

17 responsibilities · a typical computer hardware engineer job

37% of the work still needs a person.

Still needs a person: 37% of the timeAI could take on: 63%

Evidence range: 47 to 63%. It runs between what has been measured or rated for each responsibility and our figure, which also follows industry-wide research.

Median pay $161,740 a year in the U.S. (BLS, May 2025).

Still needs a person

  • Assemble and modify equipment for special needs

AI can do or help with

  • Keep up with new hardware technology AI helps
  • Review hardware and software interface fit AI helps
  • Design new computer hardware AI helps
  • Build and test hardware prototypes AI helps
  • Analyze system capability data AI can do it
  • Support teams through product development AI helps

The biggest responsibilities of each kind. "AI helps" means AI takes on part of the work, or most of it with a person checking what it produces. See all 17, with the reason for each and the cost of handing them to AI.

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Questions people ask

Will AI replace computer hardware engineers?

Much of the work, but not all of it. AI could take on about 63% of the working time in a typical computer hardware engineer job today. The other 37% still needs a person. That is a split of the work, not a forecast of jobs lost.

Which parts of the job can AI do?

The biggest ones AI can do or help with: keep up with new hardware technology, review hardware and software interface fit, design new computer hardware, build and test hardware prototypes, analyze system capability data, support teams through product development.

Which parts still need a person?

The biggest ones: assemble and modify equipment for special needs.

How is this measured?

The U.S. Department of Labor lists 18 responsibilities for this job (O*NET 31.0), and the split covers the 17 people in it do today. Each is scored on 4 questions: can AI do it, does it get it right, must a person sign for it, and do people need to deal with a real person. The split is weighted by how much of the job each responsibility takes up. The evidence range is 47 to 63%. It runs between what has been measured or rated for each responsibility and our figure, which also follows industry-wide research. Scores version 0.6.1, updated October 1, 2026.

Responsibilities from O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor). Pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025. Scores are calibrated to published research and updated every month. How it works.

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