AI and your job · data checked October 2026
Will AI replace software engineers?
No. BLS projects software developer, QA and tester jobs to grow 10% from 2025 to 2035; AI writes and tests a lot of code, but demand for software keeps rising.
Projected US jobs, 2025–35
+10%
Much faster than average · 1,905,400 jobs in 2025 · BLS group: Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026AI exposure, as rated by BLS
Very high
Out of Low, Moderate, High and Very high. BLS says exposure doesn’t mean job loss.
BLS, 2026How much of the work AI chatbots already help with
#120
Of 785 US jobs ranked by AI applicability (score 0.28)
Microsoft Research, 2025Exposure to generative AI, worldwide
Gradient 3
From Not exposed to Gradient 4, the most exposed
International Labour Organization, 2025These measures use different methods (tasks, real chatbot use, expert ratings), so they can disagree.
“Demand for software developers ... is projected to be strong due to the continued expansion of software development for artificial intelligence (AI)...” US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What AI already does well
- Writing, testing and documenting code US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Explaining how to design or use a technology Microsoft Research
- Automating some software testing tasks US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What still needs you
- Directing technical work and supervising people: little AI use seen Microsoft Research
- Agreeing on specifications with others: lower success rate Microsoft Research
3 moves for software engineers this month
- 1Use an AI coding assistant daily and learn to review its code for bugs and security holes.
- 2Build skills AI depends on: system design, requirements, testing and code review.
- 3Learn to build and maintain AI features, an area BLS expects to drive demand.
How AI-proof are you, personally?
The job is one part. The free 2-minute check also looks at your money, your security and your mind, and gives you 3 moves.
Check my AI risk as a software engineer →How worried is the world about AI today? See the AI Fear Index →
BLS figures are US projections for 2025–35; the ILO index covers the world. Microsoft’s ranking reflects how people used Bing Copilot in 2024, not what AI can do at work. General information, not career advice.