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Will AI replace social scientists and related workers?

15 jobs scored. On average 39% of the task time in these jobs still needs a person, and the family averages 67 out of 100 on Still needs a human, where higher is safer.

67
Average Still needs a human score, 0 to 100 ↑ safer. Will AI replace them? A little.
15
Jobs scored in this family
39%
Average share of that still needs a person
325k
US workers in these jobs

How the work could shift in Social Scientists and Related Workers

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

Today
0%
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.)
90% 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.)
100% 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: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)100%Today2030: 53.5% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)54%2030: 46.5% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)47%20302035: 0.6% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2035: 40.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)40%2035: 48.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)49%2035: 10.3% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)10%20352040: 1.6% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)2040: 39.8% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)40%2040: 58.6% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)59%20402045: 10.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)10%2045: 89.6% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)90%20452050: 0.6% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)2050: 99.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)99%20502055: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)100%20552060: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)100%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%100.0%0.0%
20300.0%0.0%46.5%53.5%0.0%
203510.3%48.7%40.4%0.6%0.0%
204058.6%39.8%1.6%0.0%0.0%
204589.6%10.4%0.0%0.0%0.0%
205099.4%0.6%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2055100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2060100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%

Every job in Social Scientists and Related Workers, 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.

EconomistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3011
60↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 23%AI helps 56%Needs a human 21%
20392036–2046
18k
$124,720
Political ScientistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3094
62↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 23%AI helps 57%Needs a human 20%
20392037–2047
6k
$142,080
Survey ResearchersLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3022
63↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 24%AI helps 44%Needs a human 32%
20402037–2048
8k
$69,460
HistoriansLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3093
65↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 78%Needs a human 22%
20402037–2049
3k
$76,750
Environmental EconomistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3011.01
66↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 13%AI helps 71%Needs a human 16%
20412037–2049
18k
$124,720
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3032
66↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 17%AI helps 50%Needs a human 33%
20402037–2049
790
$193,950
GeographersLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3092
66↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 8%AI helps 61%Needs a human 31%
20412037–2050
1k
$102,040
SociologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3041
68↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 25%AI helps 29%Needs a human 46%
20402037–2048
2k
$106,030
Transportation PlannersLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3099.01
68↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 5%AI helps 64%Needs a human 31%
20412037–2049
37k
$101,110
Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3033
69↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 68%Needs a human 32%
20412037–2050
76k
$100,580
Urban and Regional PlannersLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3051
70↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 2%AI helps 48%Needs a human 50%
20412037–2050
44k
$89,320
School PsychologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3034
71↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 8%AI helps 45%Needs a human 47%
20422037–2050
64k
$95,990
NeuropsychologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3039.02
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 6%AI helps 29%Needs a human 65%
20412037–2051
19k
$110,840
Clinical NeuropsychologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3039.03
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 5%AI helps 30%Needs a human 65%
20412037–2051
19k
$110,840
Anthropologists and ArcheologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science · 19-3091
74↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 4%AI helps 23%Needs a human 73%
20432038–2058
9k
$70,770