How AI is Reshaping Careers for Advanced Software Engineers

Is AI replacing software engineers? Not even close. 

In this episode of UMBC Mic’d Up, Dr. Mohammad Samarah, Program Director of UMBC’s Master’s in Software Engineering, shares why human expertise is more critical than ever in an AI-driven world. 

From designing intelligent systems to leading innovation, software engineers are at the center of tomorrow’s technology. 

Learn how UMBC prepares graduates to: 

• Build and guide AI-powered tools 

• Lead advanced teams in real-world roles 

• Stay future-proof in a fast-changing tech landscape 

Whether you're looking to upskill or wondering where AI is taking the field, this conversation will inspire and inform. 

👉 Subscribe for more conversations with UMBC’s thought leaders. 

#SoftwareEngineering #ArtificialIntelligence #UMBC #AICareers #TechFuture #UMBCMicdUp

Transcript

Dennise

Welcome to UMBC Mic’d Up! In this episode, we dive into the future of software engineering with Dr. Mohammad Samarah, Graduate Program Director for UMBC’s Master’s in Software Engineering. Want to know the real impact of AI on your career? Here’s the big takeaway: While generative AI is changing the game, it’s advanced software engineers—real humans—who are guiding, shaping, and co-creating the tools of tomorrow. Stick around to hear how this program gets students ready to lead, not just code.

So why should a professional consider software engineering as a career choice?

Mohammad

Well, Dennise, software is now no longer something on your computer that has entered into everyday objects. So we have the opportunity now to change the world in a meaningful way using software. In addition to that, we have a lot of advances in AI and generative AI tools that is fueling the need for more and more professionals who have advanced skills in software engineering. These generative AI tools are built by software engineers, by advanced software engineers. And so because of those two aspects, we need now more and more people to be armed with the skills, the tools, the knowledge to take us further and make sure that our future is humans within AI and we are in control of our destiny.

Dennise

What do graduates of our software engineering program do in the field after they graduate? What kind of things can folks expect to do? 

Mohammad

Yeah, so our graduates hit the ground running, but they're not going into entry level positions. They're going for advanced positions. I'll give you some examples of recent graduates. One of our graduates went on to become an in AI machine learning engineer, building AI tools and AI augmented devices. Another went on to become a software architect. The world is in dire need of software architects. Those are engineers who understand the big picture, but they're also able to navigate into the small details and they're able to bridge the gap between what's needed and how to get it done. In other words, the business or user needs and the technical needs. A third engineer went on to become a team lead. So these are the type of roles that we expect you to get. AI, machine learning software, architecture team lead, a group manager or a software engineering manager. We give you the advanced skills to hit the ground running. Every course we teach you is an applied course. That connects every chapter to every section, to what it means to do it in real, in the real world.

Dennise

A follow up question to that is, maybe there are some job reports that indicate there is a maybe a little bit of a lesser percentage of job growth in certain areas, maybe entry level. Can you speak to that? 

Mohammad

Sure. Yeah. So our program is readying students to become advanced professionals. AI and  generative tools are going to affect mundane tasks, low level things, simple coding tasks, AI tools. Today, tomorrow, ten years, 20 years from now will not generate and create a system, will not create an AI tool itself. So not only we need more advanced software engineers, but now it's very critical because some of the code generated by AI tools, we may be able to use portions of small parts. We still need advanced engineers to look overhead, to supervise it, to ensure it's correct and safe and meaningful that it fits within the system that is intended for.

Dennise

Thank you. And my last question is how does artificial intelligence, generative AI, how does it affect a career in software engineering?

Mohammad

Yeah. So II is a field that's been around since the 50s, and now we have so many advances. And it's also in the forefront in public with these generative AI tools. So being an advanced software engineer is going to give you the skills and the knowledge to understand that AI is a subfield of computer science, and that machine learning is a subfield of AI and give you the ability to co-create applications and devices and system with AI or for AI. But at the center of it, you're going to put the human needs, the user needs and meaning. To serve humanity, to serve you, to serve your family and serve your organization. So because of the AI, generative tools do not have this ability to, um, sort of look at what is needed. It has no spirit, has no, um, humanlike, um, emotions or behavior. We need advanced software engineers at the center of it. To build with it, co-create with it, to guide it, to supervise it, to tell when it's creating something that's worthy and tell when it's creating something that's complete rubbish and garbage.

Dennise

Hmm. That's powerful. Anything else that you want to add?

Mohammad

You know, there are, uh, many theories about what are generative tools and AI tools and robotics will do for us or against us. The the truth of the matter is, if we were to predict what's going to happen, we have seen this story unfold before. The more automation we create, the more the human is needed, the more the human skills needs to be elevated and advanced. So the future is bright. It's going to be humans with AI, humans guiding and controlling and managing your inputs and putting it in its own box and place as a tool to create meaning.

Dennise

Thanks for tuning into this episode of UMBC MIc’d Up Podcast. If you’d like to learn more about our offerings in Software Engineering, visit the link in the description.