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AI exposure Life, physical and social science

Will AI replace biological scientists?

Biological Scientists, All Other. US occupation 19-1029.

24.5%

of the time biological scientists spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of biological scientists' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.

Ranked 91 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 87% of them.Further along than 87% of them.

Average US job 7.7%

Well above the typical job.Ahead of most of the workforce.

What AI already does for biological scientistsWhat biological scientists no longer do alone

O*NET lists 88 tasks for biological scientists. AI use at work shows up in 20 of them. Each score runs from 0.5, where every observed use helps a person with the task, to 1, where every use does the task outright.

  1. Review, approve, or interpret genetic laboratory results.Core task mostly automated 0.97
  2. Develop new software applications or customize existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs.Core task mostly automated 0.94
  3. Test new and updated bioinformatics tools and software.Core task mostly automated 0.93
  4. Search scientific literature to select and modify methods and procedures most appropriate for genetic research goals.Core task mostly automated 0.92
  5. Conduct applied research aimed at improvements in areas such as disease testing, crop quality, pharmaceuticals, and the harnessing of microbes to recycle waste.Core task mostly automated 0.90
  6. Analyze determinants responsible for specific inherited traits, and devise methods for altering traits or producing new traits.Core task mostly automated 0.90
  7. Study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and function.Core task mostly automated 0.89
  8. Develop data models and databases.Core task mostly automated 0.87
Show the other 12
  1. Manipulate publicly accessible, commercial, or proprietary genomic, proteomic, or post-genomic databases.Core task mostly automated 0.87
  2. Create or modify web-based bioinformatics tools. mostly automated 0.87
  3. Participate in all levels of bioproduct development, including proposing new products, performing market analyses, designing and performing experiments, and collaborating with operations and quality control teams during product launches. mostly automated 0.86
  4. Prepare results of experimental findings for presentation at professional conferences or in scientific journals.Core task mostly automated 0.86
  5. Plan or conduct basic genomic and biological research related to areas such as regulation of gene expression, protein interactions, metabolic networks, and nucleic acid or protein complexes.Core task automated and assisted 0.85
  6. Design and apply bioinformatics algorithms including unsupervised and supervised machine learning, dynamic programming, or graphic algorithms.Core task automated and assisted 0.83
  7. Evaluate genetic data by performing appropriate mathematical or statistical calculations and analyses.Core task automated and assisted 0.82
  8. Study aquatic plants and animals and environmental conditions affecting them, such as radioactivity or pollution. automated and assisted 0.78
  9. Recommend new systems and processes to improve operations.Core task automated and assisted 0.77
  10. Design and maintain genetics computer databases. automated and assisted 0.72
  11. Consult with researchers to analyze problems, recommend technology-based solutions, or determine computational strategies.Core task automated and assisted 0.68
  12. Instruct others in the selection and use of bioinformatics tools.Core task automated and assisted 0.67

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

68 of the 88 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Analyze large molecular datasets, such as raw microarray data, genomic sequence data, or proteomics data, for clinical or basic research purposes.Core task
  • Attend clinical and research conferences and read scientific literature to keep abreast of technological advances and current genetic research findings.Core task
  • Collaborate with biologists and other professionals to conduct appropriate genetic and biochemical analyses.Core task
  • Collect and analyze biological data about relationships among and between organisms and their environment.Core task
  • Communicate research results through conference presentations, scientific publications, or project reports.Core task
  • Communicate test results to state and federal representatives and general public.Core task
Show the other 62
  • Compile and analyze molecular or cellular experimental data and adjust experimental designs as necessary.Core task
  • Compile data for use in activities, such as gene expression profiling, genome annotation, or structural bioinformatics.Core task
  • Conduct research on cell organization and function, including mechanisms of gene expression, cellular bioinformatics, cell signaling, or cell differentiation.Core task
  • Confer with information technology specialists to develop computer applications for genetic data analysis.Core task
  • Coordinate molecular or cellular research activities with scientists specializing in other fields.Core task
  • Create novel computational approaches and analytical tools as required by research goals.Core task
  • Create or use statistical models for the analysis of genetic data.Core task
  • Design molecular or cellular laboratory experiments, oversee their execution, and interpret results.Core task
  • Design sampling plans or coordinate the field collection of samples such as tissue specimens.Core task
  • 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.Core task
  • Develop assays that monitor cell characteristics.Core task
  • Develop guidelines for procedures such as the management of viruses.Core task
  • Develop protocols to improve existing genetic techniques or to incorporate new diagnostic procedures.Core task
  • Direct the work of technicians and information technology staff applying bioinformatics tools or applications in areas such as proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, or clinical bioinformatics.Core task
  • Direct, coordinate, organize, or prioritize biological laboratory activities.Core task
  • Evaluate new supplies and equipment to ensure operability in specific laboratory settings.Core task
  • Evaluate new technologies to enhance or complement current research.Core task
  • Extract deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or perform diagnostic tests involving processes such as gel electrophoresis, Southern blot analysis, and polymerase chain reaction analysis.Core task
  • Identify, classify, and study structure, behavior, ecology, physiology, nutrition, culture, and distribution of plant and animal species.Core task
  • Improve user interfaces to bioinformatics software and databases.Core task
  • Instruct medical students, graduate students, or others in methods or procedures for diagnosis and management of genetic disorders.Core task
  • Instruct undergraduate and graduate students within the areas of cellular or molecular biology.Core task
  • Keep abreast of new biochemistries, instrumentation, or software by reading scientific literature and attending professional conferences.Core task
  • Maintain accurate laboratory records and data.Core task
  • Maintain laboratory notebooks that record research methods, procedures, and results.Core task
  • Maintain laboratory safety programs and train personnel in laboratory safety techniques.Core task
  • Monitor or operate specialized equipment, such as gas chromatographs and high pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers.Core task
  • Perform laboratory procedures following protocols including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, cloning and extraction, ribonucleic acid (RNA) purification, or gel electrophoresis.Core task
  • Prepare or review reports, manuscripts, or meeting presentations.Core task
  • Prepare requests for proposals or statements of work.Core task
  • Prepare technical and research reports, such as environmental impact reports, and communicate the results to individuals in industry, government, or the general public.Core task
  • Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data.Core task
  • Provide scientific direction for project teams regarding the evaluation or handling of devices, drugs, or cells for in vitro and in vivo disease models.Core task
  • Provide statistical and computational tools for biologically based activities, such as genetic analysis, measurement of gene expression, or gene function determination.Core task
  • Represent employer in a technical capacity at conferences.Core task
  • 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.Core task
  • Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists.Core task
  • Supervise or direct the work of other geneticists, biologists, technicians, or biometricians working on genetics research projects.Core task
  • Supervise technical personnel and postdoctoral research fellows.Core task
  • Teach or supervise students and perform research at universities and colleges.Core task
  • Verify all financial, physical, and human resources assigned to research or development projects are used as planned.Core task
  • Verify that cytogenetic, molecular genetic, and related equipment and instrumentation is maintained in working condition to ensure accuracy and quality of experimental results.Core task
  • Write grant applications to obtain funding.Core task
  • Write grant proposals to obtain funding for biological research.Core task
  • Write grants and papers or attend fundraising events to seek research funds.Core task
  • Collaborate with software developers in the development and modification of commercial bioinformatics software.
  • Conduct family medical studies to evaluate the genetic basis for traits or diseases.
  • Confer with departments, such as marketing, business development, or operations, to coordinate product development or improvement.
  • Confer with vendors to evaluate new equipment or reagents or to discuss the customization of product lines to meet user requirements.
  • Design databases, such as mutagenesis libraries.
  • Develop methods and apparatus for securing representative plant, animal, aquatic, or soil samples.
  • Develop pest management and control measures, and conduct risk assessments related to pest exclusion, using scientific methods.
  • Evaluate, diagnose, or treat genetic diseases.
  • Measure salinity, acidity, light, oxygen content, and other physical conditions of water to determine their relationship to aquatic life.
  • Participate in the development of endangered species breeding programs or species survival plans.
  • Plan and administer biological research programs for government, research firms, medical industries, or manufacturing firms.
  • Plan curatorial programs for species collections that include acquisition, distribution, maintenance, or regeneration.
  • Prepare plans for management of renewable resources.
  • Prepare summary statistics of information regarding human genomes.
  • 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.
  • Study and manage wild animal populations.
  • Study reactions of plants, animals, and marine species to parasites.

How that compares

Among the 46 life, physical and social science occupations, biological scientists rank 9. The group averages 12.2%, and its most exposed job is Political Scientists at 45.2%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Just above in the ranking

  1. 88Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks 24.7%
  2. 89Editors 24.6%
  3. 89Writers and Authors 24.6%

Just below

  1. 93Procurement Clerks 24.4%
  2. 94Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators 24.3%
  3. 94Management Analysts 24.3%

What this does and does not mean

Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.

A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.

Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.