In recent years, the tech industry has grown used to news about companies rolling out artificial intelligence, automating processes and cutting staff. But the American space startup Impulse Space has chosen a different path. The company, founded by one of SpaceX’s chief engine developers, Tom Mueller, has raised $500 million in investment and announced plans to hire up to 200 new employees.
Instead of directing resources toward reducing costs through automation, the company is betting on expanding its engineering team. Despite the rapid development of AI, engineers and testers still play a key role in building space hardware.
Even the most advanced computer models cannot fully replace real-world testing, work on test stands and the practical experience of specialists. In other words, space is still a field where knowledge and skills cannot simply be “downloaded” into a neural network.
Against the backdrop of constant talk that artificial intelligence will soon displace a significant share of specialists, Impulse Space’s story is a telling reminder: there are industries where technology does not reduce the need for people, but instead increases demand for skilled workers.
