Engineering in the Age of Powerful AI: What Students Must Do During Four Years of Engineering The rise of advanced AI systems like Anthropic’s Claude, OpenAI’s GPT models, and Google DeepMind has created anxiety among engineering students. Many are asking: “If AI can code, design, analyze, and even debug — what will engineers do?” The answer is simple but powerful: AI replaces repetitive tasks. It does not replace capable engineers. The role of engineers is evolving — from coders to AI-enhanced problem solvers, system thinkers, and decision makers. This article provides a complete four-year roadmap for engineering students to stay relevant, competitive, and future-proof in the AI era. The Reality of AI in Engineering AI can: Generate boilerplate code Suggest algorithms Debug simple errors Write documentation Automate repetitive development tasks But AI cannot: Understand unclear business requirements fully Take accountability for failures Make ethical decisions Manage production ...