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AI exposure Life, physical and social science

Will AI replace physicists?

Physicists. US occupation 19-2012.

27.3%

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

Ranked 80 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 89% of them.Further along than 89% of them.

Average US job 7.7%

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

What AI already does for physicistsWhat physicists no longer do alone

O*NET lists 15 tasks for physicists. AI use at work shows up in 2 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. Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.Core task mostly automated 0.98
  2. Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.Core task mostly automated 0.93

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

13 of the 15 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.Core task
  • Collaborate with other scientists in the design, development, and testing of experimental, industrial, or medical equipment, instrumentation, and procedures.Core task
  • Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.Core task
  • Develop theories and laws on the basis of observation and experiments, and apply these theories and laws to problems in areas such as nuclear energy, optics, and aerospace technology.Core task
  • Observe the structure and properties of matter, and the transformation and propagation of energy, using equipment such as masers, lasers, and telescopes, to explore and identify the basic principles governing these phenomena.Core task
  • Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.Core task
Show the other 7
  • Teach physics to students.Core task
  • Write research proposals to receive funding.Core task
  • Advise authorities of procedures to be followed in radiation incidents or hazards, and assist in civil defense planning.
  • Conduct application evaluations and analyze results to determine commercial, industrial, scientific, medical, military, or other uses for electro-optical devices.
  • Conduct research pertaining to potential environmental impacts of atomic energy-related industrial development to determine licensing qualifications.
  • Develop manufacturing, assembly, and fabrication processes of lasers, masers, infrared, and other light-emitting and light-sensitive devices.
  • Develop standards of permissible concentrations of radioisotopes in liquids and gases.

How that compares

Among the 46 life, physical and social science occupations, physicists rank 7. 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. 77Correspondence Clerks 27.9%
  2. 77Training and Development Specialists 27.9%
  3. 79Computer Systems Analysts 27.6%

Just below

  1. 81Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products 27.1%
  2. 82Financial Risk Specialists 26.5%
  3. 83First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 26.3%

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.