Will AI replace optical network engineers?

Why AI struggles to replace this job

• Physical installation and splicing of fiber optic cables require precise manual dexterity.
• Surveying physical sites for environmental factors that affect signal loss requires being on-site.
• Troubleshooting physical damage from construction or natural disasters requires field work.
• Managing the procurement and logistics of physical hardware across vast distances is complex.

Tasks AI could automate

• Calculating optimal wavelengths for data transmission across a network.
• Predicting potential fiber breaks based on historic failure data.
• Designing logical circuit routes across a predefined physical network.
• Generating inventory reports for optical transceivers and components.

The 10-year outlook

The rollout of 5G and high-speed broadband will keep these engineers in high demand. The role will increasingly involve managing software-defined optical networks alongside traditional physical infrastructure.

Common questions