# Who Is a Data Engineer in the AI Era? 30-Year Evolution from DBA to AI Data Engineer

> Source: https://sukruyusufkaya.com/en/learn/ai-veri-muhendisligi/ai-cagi-veri-muhendisi-evrimi
> Updated: 2026-05-13T18:17:44.921Z
> Category: AI için Veri Mühendisliği
> Module: Module 0: Introduction & Local Stack
**TLDR:** How did data engineering evolve from 1995 to 2026? Differences between DBA, ETL Developer, Data Engineer, Analytics Engineer and AI Data Engineer; skill matrix; Turkey & global salary ranges; daily workflow.