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How exposed to AI is a Data Scientist?

Of the 16 tasks O*NET lists for data scientists, 4 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 1 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
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
16
tasks rated for this occupation
106k
people do this job in the US
17 of 36
least protected in computing and maths

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

4
  • Apply sampling techniques to determine groups to be surveyed or use complete enumeration methods
  • Propose solutions in engineering, the sciences, and other fields using mathematical theories and techniques
  • Recommend data-driven solutions to key stakeholders
  • Write new functions or applications in programming languages to conduct analyses

Only with software built on top

11
  • Analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software
  • Apply feature selection algorithms to models predicting outcomes of interest, such as sales, attrition, and healthcare use
  • Clean and manipulate raw data using statistical software
  • Create graphs, charts, or other visualizations to convey the results of data analysis using specialized software
  • Deliver oral or written presentations of the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users
  • Design surveys, opinion polls, or other instruments to collect data
  • Identify business problems or management objectives that can be addressed through data analysis
  • Identify relationships and trends or any factors that could affect the results of research
  • Identify solutions to business problems, such as budgeting, staffing, and marketing decisions, using the results of data analysis
  • Read scientific articles, conference papers, or other sources of research to identify emerging analytic trends and technologies
  • Test, validate, and reformulate models to ensure accurate prediction of outcomes of interest

Cannot be sped up

1
  • Compare models using statistical performance metrics, such as loss functions or proportion of explained variance
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.