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How exposed to AI is a Biologist?

Of the 22 tasks O*NET lists for biologists, 7 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 12 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
Aquatic BiologistBiological ScientistBiologistBotanistFisheries and Wildlife BiologistFisheries BiologistMarine BiologistResearch BiologistResearch ScientistScientist
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
22
tasks rated for this occupation
100%
hold a degree, from a survey of only 19
47k
people do this job in the US
52 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

7
  • Prepare technical and research reports, such as environmental impact reports, and communicate the results to individuals in industry, government, or the general public
  • Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data
  • Prepare requests for proposals or statements of work
  • 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
  • Plan and administer biological research programs for government, research firms, medical industries, or manufacturing firms
  • Write grant proposals to obtain funding for biological research
  • 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

Only with software built on top

3
  • Communicate test results to state and federal representatives and general public
  • Prepare plans for management of renewable resources
  • Study reactions of plants, animals, and marine species to parasites

Cannot be sped up

12
  • 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
  • Collect and analyze biological data about relationships among and between organisms and their environment
  • Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists
  • Identify, classify, and study structure, behavior, ecology, physiology, nutrition, culture, and distribution of plant and animal species
  • Represent employer in a technical capacity at conferences
  • Study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and function
  • Develop methods and apparatus for securing representative plant, animal, aquatic, or soil samples
  • Study aquatic plants and animals and environmental conditions affecting them, such as radioactivity or pollution
  • Study and manage wild animal populations
  • Measure salinity, acidity, light, oxygen content, and other physical conditions of water to determine their relationship to aquatic life
  • Teach or supervise students and perform research at universities and colleges
  • Develop pest management and control measures, and conduct risk assessments related to pest exclusion, using scientific methods
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.