Will biologists be replaced by AI?
Updated
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 |
| Prepare plans for management of renewable resources. AI drafts management plan sections; expert judgement sets priorities. | 50% AI helps |
| Collect and analyze biological data about relationships among and between organisms and their environment. AI analyzes collected data well; field collection stays physical. | 45% AI helps |
| Develop pest management and control measures, and conduct risk assessments related to pest exclusion, using scientific methods. AI drafts risk assessments and pest plans; experts verify science. | 45% AI helps |
| Study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and function. AI aids literature synthesis; lab and field study remain hands on. | 42% AI helps |
| Identify, classify, and study structure, behavior, ecology, physiology, nutrition, culture, and distribution of plant and animal species. AI helps identify species from images; fieldwork stays human. | 40% AI helps |
Show the other 12 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Research environmental effects of present and potential uses of land and water areas, determining methods of improving environmental conditions or such outputs as crop yields. AI speeds literature review and environmental modeling analysis. | 40% AI helps |
| Teach or supervise students and perform research at universities and colleges. Lectures and drafting aid teaching; mentoring stays in person. | 35% AI helps |
| Plan and administer biological research programs for government, research firms, medical industries, or manufacturing firms. Budgets, staffing and planning need judgement; AI aids paperwork. | 35% AI helps |
| Communicate test results to state and federal representatives and general public. AI can draft plain summaries; live public communication stays human. | 30% AI helps |
| Study reactions of plants, animals, and marine species to parasites. Lab infection experiments are hands on; AI aids analysis. | 30% AI helps |
| Study aquatic plants and animals and environmental conditions affecting them, such as radioactivity or pollution. Sampling and lab work are physical; AI helps analyze results. | 28% AI helps |
| Study and manage wild animal populations. Field surveys dominate; AI helps with population modeling and data. | 25% AI helps |
| Develop methods and apparatus for securing representative plant, animal, aquatic, or soil samples. Designing physical sampling apparatus needs hands on engineering work. | 20% Needs a person |
| Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists. Supervising people relies on interpersonal judgement and accountability. | 15% Needs a person |
| Develop and maintain liaisons and effective working relations with groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop information and interpret findings. Relationship building with agencies and public is interpersonal work. | 14% Needs a person |
| Represent employer in a technical capacity at conferences. Conference presence and representation need a person in attendance. | 12% Needs a person |
| Measure salinity, acidity, light, oxygen content, and other physical conditions of water to determine their relationship to aquatic life. Probe readings and water sampling are physical, hands on tasks. | 12% Needs a person |
How biologists compare
All jobs (923)
Life, physical and social science (60)
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.
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.
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