AI was supposed to kill engineering jobs, but new data suggests they’re the most resilient
techcrunch.com Jun 25, 2026

AI was supposed to kill engineering jobs, but new data suggests they’re the most resilient

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Tech layoffs in May reached their highest single-month total in years, with AI cited as the primary reason. However, research by SignalFire suggests that engineering jobs are the most resilient in the industry. Despite a 25% drop in total hiring across large tech companies, engineering roles saw only an 11% decline. In fact, engineers comprised 55% of new hires in 2025 across top tech companies, a significant jump from 2019. This trend is evident in both large tech companies and early-stage startups.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · The resilience of engineering jobs in the face of AI adoption challenges the conventional wisdom that automation will replace human workers.
  • · As Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang argues, AI is not replacing engineers, but rather making them busier and more productive, leading to increased demand for their skills.