Engineers and scientists leaving jobs that AI has changed beyond recognition

Britain’s engineer and scientists are voting with their feet as artificial intelligence reshapes their jobs, new research suggests.

Nearly one in six (15%) UK STEM professionals have seen colleagues leave in the past year after AI changed their work ‘beyond recognition’, according to research from STEM workforce consultancy SThree*.

Rather than replacing workers, findings suggest AI is changing the nature of technical jobs so much that employees are choosing to leave themselves.

Meanwhile, around one in seven (14%) saw colleagues leave for AI-related reasons linked to reduced career progression, while one in eight (12%) cited unsustainable workloads.

This movement comes at a time when UK experts are already difficult to replace. Almost half (45%) of UK STEM professionals say their organisation has struggled to replace specialists who left in the past year.

The findings also reveal wider concern about the pace of change. More than a third (37%) believe their organisation is introducing technologies such as AI too quickly to fully consider the impact on people’s roles.

The effects are already being felt in career pathways, as nearly three in ten (29%) say senior employees are doing work previously done by junior colleagues as AI reshapes entry-level roles.

Rakesh Patel, UK Managing Director at SThree, said: “As industries change, employers must adapt in a way that uses AI where it genuinely belongs and enables workers to use their expertise in a fulfilling way.

“AI adoption in STEM industries has accelerated fast. STEM expertise, meanwhile, takes years to build. So when workers vote with their feet, businesses can be left with lasting skills gaps that can be costly.

“This presents a retention challenge for some employers – but strong opportunities for others, as the market of expert talent becomes more fluid with experienced specialists seeking out new roles.

“We’re keeping a close eye on how these shifts are reshaping the STEM labour market, so we can help organisations identify the capabilities they need to protect, and where the best skills can be sourced next.”

* All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 885 STEM employees in the UK. Fieldwork was undertaken between 10^th July – 1^st September 2026.  The survey was carried out online.