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How exposed to AI is a Soil and Plant Scientist?

Of the 27 tasks O*NET lists for soil and plant scientists, 12 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 5 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
AgronomistArboriculture ResearcherCrop Nutrition ScientistForage PhysiologistHorticulture SpecialistPlant PhysiologistPlant Research GeneticistResearch ScientistResearch Soil ScientistScientist
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
27
tasks rated for this occupation
90%
hold a degree, from a survey of 21
16k
people do this job in the US
20 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

12
  • Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops
  • Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies
  • Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates
  • Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects
  • Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity
  • Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties
  • Conduct research to determine best methods of planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products
  • Study ways to improve agricultural sustainability, such as the use of new methods of composting
  • Research technical requirements or environmental impacts of urban green spaces, such as green roof installations
  • Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders
  • Plan or supervise land conservation or reclamation programs for industrial development projects
  • Conduct research into the use of plant species as green fuels or in the production of green fuels

Only with software built on top

10
  • Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion
  • Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics
  • Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests
  • Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation
  • Develop improved measurement techniques, soil conservation methods, soil sampling devices, or related technology
  • Develop environmentally safe methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or pests
  • Consult with engineers or other technical personnel working on construction projects about the effects of soil problems and possible solutions to these problems
  • Develop ways of altering soils to suit different types of plants
  • Survey undisturbed or disturbed lands for classification, inventory, mapping, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection planning, conservation planning, or reclamation planning
  • Plan or supervise waste management programs for composting or farming

Cannot be sped up

5
  • Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment
  • Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth
  • Conduct experiments investigating how soil forms, changes, or interacts with land-based ecosystems or living organisms
  • Conduct experiments regarding causes of bee diseases or factors affecting yields of nectar or pollen
  • Study insect distribution or habitat and recommend methods to prevent importation or spread of injurious species
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.