Opens in a new tab
needsahuman.
Search ⌘KGet the data

Will AI replace science technicians?

15 jobs scored. On average 62% of the task time in these jobs still needs a person, and the family averages 74 out of 100 on Still needs a human, where higher is safer.

74
Average Still needs a human score, 0 to 100 ↑ safer. Will AI replace them? A little.
15
Jobs scored in this family
62%
Average share of that still needs a person
457k
US workers in these jobs

How the work could shift in Science Technicians

The share of US workers in these jobs whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.

Today
3%
of US workers in this family are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
0%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
64% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
0%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
93% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)

Each job's score moves towards the bottom band (Largely: AI could largely do the job) by the year it could be largely automated, slowly at first and faster later, as adoption usually goes. Each job is run as ten scenarios across its replacement range, so every figure mixes early and late outcomes. The model stops at 2060. How the timeline works

Share of US workers in this family in each verdict band, today to 20600%25%50%75%100%2026: 3.0% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2026: 97.0% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)97%Today2030: 0.4% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2030: 80.0% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)80%2030: 19.6% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)20%20302035: 0.3% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2035: 24.0% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)24%2035: 39.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)39%2035: 35.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)35%2035: 0.8% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)20352040: 0.3% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2040: 6.5% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)7%2040: 24.1% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)24%2040: 29.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)29%2040: 39.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)40%20402045: 0.3% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2045: 6.5% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)7%2045: 2.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)2045: 26.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)26%2045: 64.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)64%20452050: 0.3% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2050: 6.5% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)7%2050: 15.8% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)16%2050: 77.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)77%20502055: 0.3% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2055: 6.5% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)7%2055: 93.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)93%20552060: 0.3% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2060: 6.5% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)7%2060: 93.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)93%2060
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Share of US workers in this family whose job would sit in each band, year by year. Updated with every release.
Show the data
YearLargelyMostlyPartlyA littleNah
Today (2026)0.0%0.0%0.0%97.0%3.0%
20300.0%0.0%19.6%80.0%0.4%
20350.8%35.4%39.4%24.0%0.3%
204039.7%29.4%24.1%6.5%0.3%
204564.0%26.4%2.7%6.5%0.3%
205077.4%15.8%0.0%6.5%0.3%
205593.2%0.0%0.0%6.5%0.3%
206093.2%0.0%0.0%6.5%0.3%

Every job in Science Technicians, ranked

How to read a row: the number is the Still needs a human score, out of 100, higher is safer; “AI replace?” is our answer to “Will AI replace this job?”; the bar is the task split: white AI does it, grey AI helps, amber needs a human.

Social Science Research AssistantsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4061
61↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 30%AI helps 51%Needs a human 19%
20402037–2047
31k
$61,990
Precision Agriculture TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4012.01
68↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 73%Needs a human 27%
20432038–2053
15k
$49,630
Remote Sensing TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4099.03
69↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 10%AI helps 57%Needs a human 33%
20422038–2053
74k
$62,280
Hydrologic TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4044
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 56%Needs a human 44%
20432038–2055
3k
$64,790
Quality Control AnalystsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4099.01
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 5%AI helps 45%Needs a human 50%
20442038–2059
74k
$62,280
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4042
74↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 5%AI helps 41%Needs a human 54%
20452038–2060+
35k
$55,090
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4043
75↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 4%AI helps 29%Needs a human 67%
20452038–2060+
7k
$53,350
Chemical TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4031
75↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 14%AI helps 0%Needs a human 86%
20452038–2060+
58k
$60,390
Biological TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4021
76↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 4%AI helps 16%Needs a human 80%
20472038–2060+
70k
$57,510
Nuclear Monitoring TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4051.02
76↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 29%Needs a human 71%
20462039–2060+
6k
$110,240
Food Science TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4013
77↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 5%AI helps 26%Needs a human 69%
20462038–2060+
15k
$52,130
Forest and Conservation TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4071
79↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 6%AI helps 17%Needs a human 77%
20472039–2060+
30k
$54,560
Forensic Science TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4092
79↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 20%Needs a human 80%
20472039–2060+
19k
$72,060
Agricultural TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4012
80↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 2%AI helps 17%Needs a human 81%
20482039–2060+
15k
$49,630
Nuclear TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-4051
82↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 12%Needs a human 88%
20492039–2060+
6k
$110,240