Is software engineering roles disappearing in 2026?

Three professions are becoming one. According to Ernst & Young's (EY's) global consulting AI leader Dan Diasio, roles that once sat completely separate, data engineering, software engineering, and AI engineering, are now overlapping so fundamentally that job titles lag behind reality.

The old model is obsolete as engineers once followed a rigid waterfall of requirements documents, design plans, and then coding. Now those steps compress into a single streamlined process powered by AI.

In response to the changing landscape, EY has decided to completely eliminate all aspects of traditional software engineering development life cycles. This is done by training engineers to develop their products from start to finish. In other words, an engineer can handle data pipelines, build out AI capabilities, and also construct software system roles that were once split among three different people.

As Diasio stated, "The role titles will catch up. We've already started moving our training and talent development towards this product-first view."

The ability to code is a must-have, but it is no longer a differentiator. Coding skills are no longer used as the main criterion to judge potential new hires. The criteria have shifted in the entire industry.

In interviews, EY engineers now dig deeper. They ask candidates why they made specific design decisions, what outcome they were aiming for, and how that work fits into larger product strategy.

Diasio emphasised this shift: "Well-crafted intent, architecture thinking, and scalability are the factors separating top talent now." He added that top engineers must be involved in hiring.