AI narratives of job displacement on social media and their influence on engineering undergraduates’ future employment views

Abstract

AI technologies have become increasingly capable of performing tasks that are traditionally known to be carried out by Engineers. As a result, there are concerns about the potential displacement of engineering jobs. These concerns are constantly disseminated and amplified on social media platforms. Exposure to these narratives of job displace ment may pose emotional issues for young people, especially undergraduates who are active users and whose main information outlet is social media. This study is guided by three research questions: examine the extent to which engineering students are exposed to AI narratives of job displacement on social media; the extent to which these AI narratives on social media influence engineering students’ perceptions toward future employment; and evaluate the behavioural responses of students resulting from their engagement with AI job-related content online. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire administered to 400 engineering students at the Federal University of Technology, Akure. Instrument reliability assessed with Cronbach’s alpha, produced a coef ficient of 0.81, reflecting strong internal consistency. The findings reveal widespread exposure to AI job displace ment content, particularly on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.. While a notable proportion of students express con cern, many also report optimism and proactive responses such as skill acquisition and career adaptation. The study concludes that although AI-related narratives elicit mixed emotional reactions, they are prompting significant en gagement with upskilling and career realignment among future engineers. Recommendations are made for higher education institutions and policymakers to embed AI literacy and digital resilience into engineering curricula.