Short answer
AI will reshape this job more than most, but BLS does not forecast it disappearing. The exposure is among the highest BLS measured, yet it still projects employment to grow faster than average.
AI and jobs
Will AI Replace Energy Engineers? (2026)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics places energy engineers in its very high AI exposure category, among the occupations most exposed to current AI. BLS projects employment to change by +3.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 8,800 openings a year.
- BLS AI exposure
- Very highBLS EP supplemental table
- AI-resilience score
- 28/100Higher than 20% of jobs · NueCareer
- Projected change
- +3.7%BLS EP 2025–2035; all jobs 3.5%
- Openings a year
- 8,800BLS EP 2025–2035
The federal measure
How exposed energy engineers are to AI
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a relative AI exposure category for each occupation it projects, built from five public measures of where AI could be, or already is, used to assist with or complete the work. Energy Engineers land in the very high category: among the occupations most exposed to current AI.
Where this job sits on the BLS scale
786 occupations in the NueCareer bank, in BLS's four relative categories; width shows how many fall in each
- Low203 occupations · 26%
- Moderate194 occupations · 25%
- High190 occupations · 24%
- Very high · this job199 occupations · 25%
Source: BLS Employment Projections, AI exposure categories supplemental table.
- Exposure is relative. The categories rank occupations against each other; they are not a probability that a job is automated.
- BLS says exposure does not imply job loss, productivity gains, automation probability or wage effects. A highly exposed job can still grow if AI makes the people in it more productive.
- The classification reflects AI capabilities as the underlying studies measured them. Read the BLS method and limitations.
Inside the work
What AI can and cannot do in this job
O*NET rates how important each work activity is to an occupation and how often each working condition comes up. The ratings below are the ones that move the job's NueCareer AI-resilience score the most: the ones that pull it up, and the ones that pull it down. Only ratings clearly above the midpoint count.
What holds up
Physical, hands-on and person-to-person work
- Face-to-face discussions4.4/5O*NET work context, frequency or level
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials4.1/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Making decisions and solving problems4.3/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Dealing with the public4.0/5O*NET work context, frequency or level
What AI reaches first
Routine, repeatable and screen-based work
- Documenting/recording information4.1/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Processing information3.9/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Working with computers4.3/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Analyzing data or information4.2/5O*NET work activity, importance
The tasks O*NET lists for energy engineers
- Monitor energy related design or construction issues, such as energy engineering, energy management, or sustainable design.
- Advise clients or colleagues on topics such as climate control systems, energy modeling, data logging, sustainable design, or energy auditing.
- Review architectural, mechanical, or electrical plans or specifications to evaluate energy efficiency.
- Inspect or monitor energy systems, including heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) or daylighting systems to determine energy use or potential energy savings.
- Identify and recommend energy savings strategies to achieve more energy-efficient operation.
- Collect data for energy conservation analyses, using jobsite observation, field inspections, or sub-metering.
O*NET 31.0 Database task statements, most important first.
The jobs
Will there still be jobs?
Exposure says where AI meets the work. The BLS projection says what the labor market is expected to do over 2025–2035. BLS projects +3.7% change in employment over the decade, against 3.5% across all occupations, and about 8,800 openings a year once retirements and career changes are counted. About 154,070 people work in the job today, at a median of $122,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Full energy engineer, except wind and solar profile: pay by state, entry route and skills
Options
Related careers less exposed to AI than energy engineers
Careers O*NET lists as related to the work, or in the same field at similar pay, that BLS places in a lower exposure category.
Solar Energy Installation Manager
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $79,920median a year
- Growth
- +5.0%
- Openings / yr
- 67,000
- Education
- High school
- Moderate
- BLS AI exposure
- 62/100
- resilience
Direct work crews installing residential or commercial solar photovoltaic or thermal systems.
Energy Auditor
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $74,690median a year
- Growth
- 0.0%
- Openings / yr
- 14,800
- Education
- High school
- High
- BLS AI exposure
- 45/100
- resilience
Conduct energy audits of buildings, building systems, or process systems.
Biomass Power Plant Manager
Management
- Median pay
- $126,060median a year
- Growth
- +2.6%
- Openings / yr
- 17,000
- Education
- Bachelor's
- High
- BLS AI exposure
- 45/100
- resilience
Manage operations at biomass power generation facilities.
- Median pay
- $171,270median a year
- Growth
- +5.5%
- Openings / yr
- 14,900
- Education
- Bachelor's
- High
- BLS AI exposure
- 36/100
- resilience
Define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.
Wind Energy Development Manager
Management
- Median pay
- $141,900median a year
- Growth
- +4.9%
- Openings / yr
- 100,900
- Education
- Bachelor's
- High
- BLS AI exposure
- 35/100
- resilience
Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals.
Questions
Will AI Replace Energy Engineers? FAQ
Will AI replace energy engineers?
AI will reshape this job more than most, but BLS does not forecast it disappearing. The exposure is among the highest BLS measured, yet it still projects employment to grow faster than average. BLS defines exposure as AI being able to assist with or complete some of the work, and says it does not imply job loss, productivity gains or wage effects. BLS projects employment to change by +3.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 8,800 openings a year.
How exposed are energy engineers to AI?
BLS sorts 786 occupations into four relative categories: low, moderate, high and very high. Energy Engineers are in the very high category, alongside 198 other occupations. The categories combine five public measures of where AI could be or already is used, and they compare occupations with each other rather than giving an absolute risk.
What parts of an energy engineer, except wind and solar's job can AI do?
In O*NET's description of the work, the parts that overlap most with what AI handles well are documenting/recording information, processing information and working with computers. The parts that hold up best are face-to-face discussions, inspecting equipment, structures, or materials and making decisions and solving problems. These come from O*NET ratings of how important each activity is to the job, read through NueCareer's AI-resilience method.
Is being an energy engineer, except wind and solar a safe career from AI?
On NueCareer's AI-resilience score, built from O*NET work activities, energy engineers score 28 out of 100, higher than 20% of the occupations we score. The job pays a median of $122,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No job is fully safe from technological change, but the federal exposure category and the projected openings are the two numbers worth weighing.
What careers similar to energy engineers are less exposed to AI?
Solar Energy Installation Manager (moderate exposure, $79,920 median), Energy Auditor (high exposure, $74,690 median), Biomass Power Plant Manager (high exposure, $126,060 median), Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Manager (high exposure, $171,270 median). Each is in a lower BLS exposure category than energy engineers, and most are listed by O*NET as related to the work.
The AI exposure category is the Bureau of Labor Statistics'. The AI-resilience score and the activity breakdown are NueCareer's analysis of O*NET 31.0 Database data (method), not a federal figure. More: jobs most exposed to AI, jobs least exposed to AI, or check any job.