# Will quality control analysts be replaced by AI? Updated October 2026 Quality control analysts score 49 out of 100 for AI exposure. AI helps with 65% of their task time, and they stay in charge. AI can do another 21%. 14% needs a person. - **21%** AI can do it - **65%** AI helps - **14%** Needs a person Moderate exposure Higher than 72% of the 923 jobs we scored. ## Task by task We graded 26 tasks, most exposed first. AI can do 6 of them, helps with 17 and leaves 3 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Complete documentation needed to support testing procedures, including data capture forms, equipment logbooks, or inventory forms. Forms, logbooks and inventory records are highly templated and digitizable. | 80% AI can do it | | Compile laboratory test data and perform appropriate analyses. Compiling and analyzing test data is largely software and AI work. | 72% AI can do it | | Write technical reports or documentation, such as deviation reports, testing protocols, and trend analyses. Drafting reports, protocols and trend analyses suits LLM writing tools. | 70% AI can do it | | Write or revise standard quality control operating procedures. AI drafts SOPs well from templates; reviewers approve final versions. | 65% AI can do it | | Prepare or review required method transfer documentation including technical transfer protocols or reports. Transfer protocols and reports are templated; AI drafts, humans review. | 65% AI can do it | ## How quality control analysts compare All jobs (923) Life, physical and social science (60) The dark line is **quality control analysts, at 49**. 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 $62,280 a year, May 2025 People employed 36,955 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs +4.4% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Query lab results with SQL and SAP software - Investigate deviations and close them in Sparta Systems TrackWise - Run statistical trend analysis in The MathWorks MATLAB - Calibrate and maintain lab equipment with documented logbook records - Sign off on contract laboratory data against specifications ## Safer roles nearby 5 related jobs with lower scores. - [Quality control systems managers47 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/quality-control-systems-managers/) - [Chemical technicians42 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/chemical-technicians/) - [Calibration technicians44 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/calibration-technicians/) - [Industrial engineering technicians43 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industrial-engineering-technicians/) - [Food science technicians41 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/food-science-technicians/) ## Questions about quality control analysts and AI Will AI replace quality control analysts? Partly. About 4 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly compiling lab test data and completing testing documentation. Bench analysis, equipment calibration and visual inspection of finished products stay with people because they need a physical presence in the lab. Which quality control analyst tasks does AI take over? Documentation, test data compilation and technical report writing go first. Testing forms, logbooks and inventory records score 80 for exposure because they are highly templated. Compiling lab test data scores 72, since analysis of test data is largely software work. Deviation reports and trend analyses score 70 because LLM writing tools draft them well. Which quality control analyst tasks stay human? Lab cleanliness and safety standards stay with people, scoring 8 for exposure, because cleaning and safety walkthroughs need physical presence. Equipment calibration scores 12 and visual inspection of finished products scores 18, since both depend on hands and eyes at the instrument or product. How can quality control analysts stay valuable? Take responsibility for the judgment in the tasks AI handles. Run trend analysis in MATLAB and SQL against SAP records, then sign off on contract lab data before release. Close deviations in Sparta Systems TrackWise with root cause decisions. Keep bench skills sharp in calibration and equipment troubleshooting, since physical work stays with people. ## Related jobs - [Validation engineers49 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/validation-engineers/) - [Industrial engineers55 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industrial-engineers/) - [Software testers64 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/software-testers/) - [Chemists46 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/chemists/) ## Next steps for quality control analysts - ### 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 quality control analysts, and what they cost. [Estimate what AI saves a team of quality control analysts](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/team-ai-audit/?role=quality-control-analysts) [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.