Will AI replace Astronomers?

Nothing in this data answers that. It measures whether an AI could halve the time a task takes, not whether an employer keeps the role. 41 per cent of the tasks listed for this occupation cannot be sped up at all.

Which parts of a Astronomer job can AI already do?

4 of the 17 tasks listed for this occupation were rated as ones a chat window could finish in half the time.

How exposed to AI is a Astronomer?

Of the 17 tasks O*NET lists for astronomers, 4 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 7 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called

AstronomerAstronomy Outreach CoordinatorAstrophysicistResearch Astrophysicist

24%

35%

41%

Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up

17: tasks rated for this occupation
100%: hold a degree, from a survey of 23
2k: people do this job in the US
39 of 60: least protected in science

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

Present research findings at scientific conferences and in papers written for scientific journals
Collaborate with other astronomers to carry out research projects
Raise funds for scientific research
Develop theories based on personal observations or on observations and theories of other astronomers

Only with software built on top

Analyze research data to determine its significance, using computers
Develop instrumentation and software for astronomical observation and analysis
Review scientific proposals and research papers
Calculate orbits and determine sizes, shapes, brightness, and motions of different celestial bodies
Develop and modify astronomy-related programs for public presentation
Conduct question-and-answer presentations on astronomy topics with public audiences

Cannot be sped up

Mentor graduate students and junior colleagues
Study celestial phenomena, using a variety of ground-based and space-borne telescopes and scientific instruments
Supervise students' research on celestial and astronomical phenomena
Teach astronomy or astrophysics
Measure radio, infrared, gamma, and x-ray emissions from extraterrestrial sources
Serve on professional panels and committees
Direct the operations of a planetarium

What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.