Sales Engineers
Machines can already do 54% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 75%. Most of the work is changing now.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Sales Engineers in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 54% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 32% of them.
- Forecast: machines can already do half of its tasks, and 75% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 51,790 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $124,900 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 73% for contact with people.
- Also called: Business Development Engineer, Inside Sales Engineer, Product Sales Engineer, Sales Applications Engineer.
- Competency here means how well the best AI model, tool or robot available can do a task, scored out of 100: today using the best available now, and for later years the 311 prediction of what AI and robots will be able to do.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop, present, or respond to proposals for specific customer requirements, including request for proposal responses and industry-specific solutions | 10% | 79% to 97% | |
| Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support | 10% | 84% to 87% | |
| Visit prospective buyers at commercial, industrial, or other establishments to show samples or catalogs, and to inform them about product pricing, availability, and advantages | 8% | 25% to 50% | |
| Confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements | 8% | 71% to 91% | |
| Prepare and deliver technical presentations that explain products or services to customers and prospective customers | 8% | 33% to 58% | |
| Plan and modify product configurations to meet customer needs | 5% | 25% to 50% | |
| Document account activities, generate reports, and keep records of business transactions with customers and suppliers | 5% | 84% to 97% | |
| Provide technical and non-technical support and services to clients or other staff members regarding the use, operation, and maintenance of equipment | 5% | 82% to 87% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills sales engineers use most, most used first.
Human value: what makes people in this job hard to replace
How much sales engineers rely on each one, from 0 to 10. 311 estimates, medium confidence.
- Go-to problem solver8/10
- Trust and reliability7/10
- Know-how about the organisation8/10
- Network and relationships10/10
- Mentoring and developing others6/10
- Culture and morale6/10
- Initiative beyond the role7/10
- Calm in a crisis7/10
- Bridge between teams8/10
- Reputation and influence7/10
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Marketing Managers74% of tasks by 2035 · US median $166,790
- Media Programming Directors52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $90,360
- Sales Managers48% of tasks by 2035 · US median $148,270
- Chief Communications Officers54% of tasks by 2035
What should you do about it?
Open this job in the Workforce Starburst to see it for your country, then use these to act on it.
Watch This Job
Get told when the outlook for this job changes.
Free planSkills to learn next
The skills that make this job, or the next one, last longer.
In the StarburstCheck your readiness
Ten quick questions on how ready you are.
FreeAsk Vantage
Ask what this job means for you and get a sourced answer.
Free to askFutures Academy courses
Courses matched to your gaps.
Coming soonPay trend
Where pay for this job is heading.
Coming soonTeam plan
Every role in your team, side by side, with a plan for each.
Pro and CorporateShared workspace
Work through it with your team, with notes and decisions kept.
Pro and Corporate
Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Sales Engineers?
Machines can already do half of its tasks. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of sales engineers?
Machines can do 54% of the tasks of sales engineers today and 75% by 2035. Most of the routine work moves to machines, and the people in the job move to oversight, judgement and client work.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 41-9031.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring, forecast and human value: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit (human value scores are 311 estimates, medium confidence); after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Sales Engineers: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/sales-engineers/