Will AI replace Aerospace Engineers?
AI can do 88% of the work Aerospace Engineers do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 1 of their 16 tasks, while 13 more are ready but barely used so far. 2 still need a person.
AI is already doing this1 · 13% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Write technical reports or other documentation, such as handbooks or bulletins, for use by engineering staff, management, or customers.Mostly automated13% of time
AI could do this next13 · 75% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.18% of time
- Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.10% of time
- Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.9% of time
- Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.9% of time
- Analyze project requests, proposals, or engineering data to determine feasibility, productibility, cost, or production time of aerospace or aeronautical products.6% of time
- Develop design criteria for aeronautical or aerospace products or systems, including testing methods, production costs, quality standards, environmental standards, or completion dates.6% of time
- Plan or coordinate investigation and resolution of customers' reports of technical problems with aircraft or aerospace vehicles.5% of time
- Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.4% of time
- Diagnose performance problems by reviewing reports or documentation from customers or field engineers or by inspecting malfunctioning or damaged products.4% of time
- Direct aerospace research and development programs.3% of time
- Evaluate and approve selection of vendors by studying past performance or new advertisements.1% of time
- Design new or modify existing aerospace systems to reduce polluting emissions, such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, or smoke emissions.1% of time
- Evaluate biofuel performance specifications to determine feasibility for aerospace applications.under 1% of time
Still needs a person2 · 13% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.13% of time
- Design or engineer filtration systems that reduce harmful emissions.under 1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can already do almost all of this work at least twice as fast. Real use is still behind at 11 out of 100, so the change here is only getting started. Expect the role to shift toward deciding what to do, checking AI's work and owning the result.
What to do next
- Do the 1 task AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
- Get ahead on the 13 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Build on the 2 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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