Engineering Jobs Defy AI-Driven Extinction, New Data Reveals

The notion that artificial intelligence would lead to widespread job losses in the engineering sector has been a topic of intense debate. Recent tech layoffs, with AI cited as a primary reason, have only fueled this concern. However, a closer examination of hiring trends suggests that engineering jobs are not only resilient but also in high demand. According to a report by SignalFire, a venture firm that tracked the careers of millions of employees across over 80 million companies, engineering was the most resilient job function in 2025. Despite a 25% drop in total hiring across large tech companies compared to 2019 levels, engineering roles saw a relatively modest decline of 11%. In fact, engineers accounted for 55% of all new hires in 2025 across the 12 major tech companies, a significant increase from 46% in 2019. This trend is even more pronounced in early-stage startups, which hired 7% more engineers in 2025 than in 2019. Industry leaders, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, have also weighed in on the issue, arguing that AI is not a replacement for human engineers but rather a tool that enhances their productivity. As Huang noted, engineers are now busier than ever, generating new ideas and working in tandem with AI-powered tools. This phenomenon is often referred to as the Jevons paradox, where increased efficiency leads to greater demand for a resource. In this case, the resource is engineering talent, and it appears that AI has only expanded the scope of their work.