# Will biologists be replaced by AI? Updated October 2026 Biologists score 51 out of 100 for AI exposure. AI helps with 71% of their task time, and they stay in charge. AI can do another 6%. 23% needs a person. - **6%** AI can do it - **71%** AI helps - **23%** Needs a person High exposure Higher than 77% of the 923 jobs we scored. ## Task by task We graded 22 tasks, most exposed first. AI can do 1 of them, helps with 16 and leaves 5 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Prepare technical and research reports, such as environmental impact reports, and communicate the results to individuals in industry, government, or the general public. AI drafts reports well; biologist verifies data and conclusions. | 70% AI can do it | | Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data. AI coding tools write and debug analysis code quickly. | 68% AI helps | | Prepare requests for proposals or statements of work. AI drafts RFP and statement of work text quickly. | 62% AI helps | | Write grant proposals to obtain funding for biological research. AI drafts proposal sections; scientist is responsible for ideas and strategy. | 60% AI helps | | Review reports and proposals, such as those relating to land use classifications and recreational development, for accuracy, adequacy, or adherence to policies, regulations, or scientific standards. AI can check reports against standards; expert makes final call. | 55% AI helps | ## How biologists compare All jobs (923) Life, physical and social science (60) The dark line is **biologists, at 51**. Each dot is a score, and darker dots mean more jobs share it. The short marks are the averages, 37 for all jobs and 47 for life, physical and social science. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $98,920 a year, May 2025 People employed 13,962 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs +4.7% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Validate AI-drafted report figures against raw field data - Run population models and statistics in R and SPSS - Hold field sampling skills for water and soil collection - Write and debug analysis code in Python and R - Lead grant strategy and scientific judgement in proposals - Supervise biological technicians on field and lab teams ## Safer roles nearby 5 related jobs with lower scores. - [Molecular biologists48 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/molecular-biologists/) - [Zoologists47 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/zoologists/) - [Biological technicians39 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/biological-technicians/) - [Microbiologists40 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/microbiologists/) - [Biochemists44 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/biochemists/) ## Questions about biologists and AI Will AI replace biologists? Partly. About 4 in 10 of a biologist's working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly preparing technical reports and programming data analysis. Field work, water sampling, supervision and stakeholder relationships stay with people because they need a person on site and in the room. Which biologist tasks is AI taking over? Report drafting and code writing carry the highest exposure. Preparing technical reports scores 70 out of 100 and is marked for automation, since AI drafts report text well. Programming data analysis scores 68, since AI coding tools write and debug analysis scripts quickly. Which biologist tasks stay human? Measuring water salinity, acidity, oxygen and light scores 12, the lowest exposure, because probe readings and sampling are hands-on work. Supervising technicians scores 15 and relies on interpersonal judgement and accountability that a person must carry. How can biologists stay valuable as AI takes on more drafting? Take responsibility for the field data and the conclusions. Check every AI-drafted report against raw sampling records in Excel or ArcGIS, keep hands-on skills in water and soil collection, and set the scientific direction in grant proposals and management plans, where expert judgement makes the final call. ## Related jobs - [Geneticists51 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/geneticists/) - [Soil scientists41 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/soil-scientists/) - [Conservation scientists43 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/conservation-scientists/) - [Natural sciences managers45 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/natural-sciences-managers/) ## Next steps for biologists - ### Check your job Your job title is a rough guide. Your tasks decide your score. Paste your job description or CV to see which tasks AI can do. [Check your job](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-exposure-checker/) [Check your CV](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/cv-checker/) - ### Estimate team savings The score is per person. Add headcount and salary to see the hours AI can take on in a team of biologists, and what they cost. [Estimate what AI saves a team of biologists](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/team-ai-audit/?role=biologists) [Work out the return on automation](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-savings-calculator/) ### Check which roles in your team AI can take on We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) ## Related topics - [**Jobs AI can't replace**Roustabouts score lowest, at 6.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-cant-replace/) - [**Jobs most at risk from AI**Proofreaders score highest, at 76.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-most-exposed-to-ai/) - [**High-paying jobs with low AI exposure**Pediatric surgeons earn a median $559,030 and score 29.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/high-paying-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Entry-level jobs with low AI exposure**Roustabouts need little prior training and score 6.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/entry-level-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Jobs AI speeds up the most**AI helps with 98% of the task time for health informatics specialists.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-speeds-up/) - [**AI and jobs in Malta**15 iGaming roles graded task by task.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/malta/) - [**Skills that keep work human**The skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/skills/) - [**Jobs A to Z**Every job we score, by first letter.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs/) - [**AI exposure by industry**Average scores for 22 job groups.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industries/) - [**Write a CV screening software can read**How applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/cv-screening-guide/) - [**AI for businesses**The tasks to automate first in each team and industry.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/) - [**How we score AI exposure**The grading, the weights and every source.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/) Sources and licences Occupation data from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and modified by Aigentcy. O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Wage, employment and projection data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. EU occupation names from ESCO, European Commission. AI usage signals from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY) and Microsoft Research (CC BY 4.0). [Methodology and sources](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). Scores © Aigentcy. Quote them with a link to the page.