Will AI replace Telecommunications Engineering Specialists?
AI reaches a large part of this job’s work.
51/100
High exposure
More exposed to AI than 81% of US workers.
- AI already used in
- 19% of the work
- As AI tools mature: up to
- 79% of the work
What the job involves
Design or configure wired, wireless, and satellite communications systems for voice, video, and data services. Supervise installation, service, and maintenance.
Where AI reaches the work
The job’s main tasks, heaviest first, by how far AI reaches them.
Already happening(6)
- Document technical specifications and operating standards for telecommunications equipment.
- Provide user support by diagnosing network and device problems and implementing technical or procedural solutions.
- Instruct in use of voice, video, and data communications systems.
- Implement controls to provide security for operating systems, software, and data.
- Manage user access to systems and equipment through account management and password administration.
and 1 more
Within reach(16)
- Keep abreast of changes in industry practices and emerging telecommunications technology by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or participating in professional organizations or conferences.
- Implement system renovation projects in collaboration with technical staff, engineering consultants, installers, and vendors.
- Use computer-aided design (CAD) software to prepare or evaluate network diagrams, floor plans, or site configurations for existing facilities, renovations, or new systems.
- Communicate with telecommunications vendors to obtain pricing and technical specifications for available hardware, software, or services.
- Consult with users, administrators, and engineers to identify business and technical requirements for proposed system modifications or technology purchases.
and 11 more
Out of reach(4)
- Inspect sites to determine physical configuration, such as device locations and conduit pathways.
- Work with personnel and facilities management staff to install, remove, or relocate user connectivity equipment and devices.
- Install, or coordinate installation of, new or modified hardware, software, or programming modules of telecommunications systems.
- Supervise maintenance of telecommunications equipment.
Also called
Telecommunications Engineer (Telecom Engineer) · Telecom Engineer · Communications Engineer · Network Engineer · Telecommunication Engineer (Telecom Engineer) · Telecommunications Analyst (Telecom Analyst) · Telecom Analyst · Telecommunications Specialist (Telecom Specialist)
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What these numbers mean
The score is the share of this job’s work, weighted by how important and frequent each task is, that AI could do in half the time: tasks an AI model could do alone count in full, tasks that need software built on AI count half.
“AI already used” is the share of the work in tasks where people are recorded using AI today. “As AI tools mature” counts every task AI could halve, with or without extra software.
The percentile compares the score with every job’s, weighted by how many people in the US do each one. Exposure means AI could change how the work is done, not that the job goes away. These are estimates for the typical job, not predictions.
Sources
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
- GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs (task labels), Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), OpenAI and University of Pennsylvania
- Anthropic Economic Index: labor market impacts (task penetration), Anthropic
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national and metropolitan areas), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics