Experts: AI, entrepreneurship skills key to engineering's future

Aspiring engineers have been encouraged to embrace innovation, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence (AI) as key drivers of future infrastructure development and economic transformation.

Speaking at the Institution of Engineers of Kenya’s 4th Future Leaders Summit in Mombasa, held under the theme “Engineering the Future: The Role of Emerging Engineers," Caroline Wanjeri Kihara, director of mortgage business at KCB Bank, urged young professionals to take bold, proactive steps to prepare for an increasingly dynamic technological landscape.

Kihara said the engineering profession is shifting to an era where human ingenuity must work hand-in-hand with advancements such as AI, automation and data-driven decision-making.

“An engineer stands at the centre of everything we build, from infrastructure and housing to energy networks and digital systems. But the engineer of tomorrow must be visionary, adaptable and comfortable in leveraging new technologies, especially AI, to solve problems at scale,” she said.

In her remarks, Kihara stated that Kenya’s economic future is intricately tied to the work of engineers, noting that billions invested in roads, power lines, urban development, industrial facilities and digital connectivity rely heavily on engineers’ competence and innovation.

“You are the voices behind infrastructure, housing, energy, transport, digital connectivity and now the technologies that will define the next chapter of energy and economic transformation. Every time we break ground on a new road, erect a power line or roll out industrial systems, we rely on engineers to validate the integrity, functionality and impact of those investments,” she said.

Kihara said that Kenya and the wider African region is being shaped by four interlinked forces that future engineers must master: entrepreneurship, leadership, talent development, and innovation. At the centre of these, she said, is the ability to integrate emerging technologies such as AI into practical solutions.

“The world is shifting, and so must the engineer. Technical skills alone are no longer enough. The future belongs to professionals who can merge engineering expertise with innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and digital intelligence such as AI,” she said.

Kihara noted that AI is already transforming how infrastructure is designed, monitored and maintained, how cities are planned and how industries operate from predictive maintenance to smart grids, disaster modeling, housing finance analytics, and environmental monitoring. 

She encouraged engineers to explore AI-powered tools and position themselves as leaders in digital transformation.

“AI is not replacing engineers, it is amplifying the engineer’s mind. Those who learn to use it will not just survive, they will lead,” said Kihara.

IEK President Engineer Shammah Kiteme challenged young engineers to view themselves not just as participants in Kenya’s development journey, but as the visionaries who must engineer the nation’s future using modern tools and forward-looking thinking.

“You can look at the future, but you can actually engineer the future. And we are the right people to foresee this future. We must be the people who say we are going to occupy the spaces that define national development,” Kiteme said. 

He said that Kenya’s economic agenda, including increased energy production, the expansion of road networks, digitalisation, manufacturing, and value addition, cannot materialise without an empowered and technologically equipped corps of engineers.

 Kiteme underscored that engineering is no longer defined only by traditional skills but by the ability to integrate AI, digital tools and data-driven decision-making into solutions across industries.

He urged young engineers to develop hybrid competencies, noting that the future belongs to those who merge technical engineering skills with digital literacy and innovation.

“AI, automation and digital systems are now powering our roads, energy and industries. The engineers who will thrive are those who are adaptable, visionary and entrepreneurial,” Kiteme said.

"Our country needs engineers who can take risks today for a better tomorrow.