Physical Scientists

ModerateFrey/Osborne: 43.0%

Risk Score

⚠️

33/100

Moderate

US Employment

👥

259,000

Total workers

Median Wage

💰

$93K

$54K – $169K

Projected Growth

📈

+3.8%

2023-2033 (BLS)

GenAI Exposure

🤖

35/100

Moderate exposure

How we calculate these numbers →

💡 Physical Scientists face a risk score of 33/100 — 11 points below the national average of 44. With only 35/100 GenAI exposure, most core tasks remain resistant to current AI capabilities. See our methodology →

💡 Workers in this field earn $93K ($46K above the national median). The 3 recommended career transitions all maintain competitive wages while reducing automation exposure. Explore transition paths →

🔍 AI Impact Analysis

With a risk score of 33/100, Physical Scientists faces moderate automation pressure. While tasks like ai-accelerated data analysis and pattern recognition are increasingly handled by AI, the role retains significant human elements. The 259,000 workers in this occupation should focus on strengthening skills in collaborative scientific discourse and peer review and designing novel experiments and research methodologies to stay ahead. The role will likely evolve rather than disappear.

Will AI Replace Physical Scientists?

Read our full analysis with verdict, risk factors, safe tasks, and career transition paths →

⚠️ Top Risk Factors

AI-accelerated data analysis and pattern recognition

Automated laboratory instrumentation and workflows

AI literature review and meta-analysis automation

🛡️ Tasks Safe from Automation

✓

Collaborative scientific discourse and peer review

✓

Designing novel experiments and research methodologies

✓

Interpreting ambiguous results with domain expertise

✓

Fieldwork in unstructured natural environments

📊 Task Automation Breakdown

Based on O*NET task analysis and GenAI exposure scoring. Shows the estimated proportion of this occupation's core tasks that are automatable by current AI, augmented by AI tools, or require essential human skills.