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AI displacement risk in Technology jobs

Compare task exposure, automation potential, augmentation potential, and transition pressure across this work family. Category scores average the current published occupation sample.

Average exposure 54

Task-level reachability by current AI systems.

Average automation 29%

Estimated potential for task transfer to software.

Average augmentation 64%

Estimated potential for AI to expand worker output while keeping human accountability.

Distribution

How Technology roles spread across the pressure scale

Median 32 0 50 100

Each bar counts published technology roles in a 5-point displacement-pressure band. Red bars mark scores of 70 or higher. The dashed line marks the category median of 32.

How AI is changing Technology work

Technology jobs do not move as one block. Some tasks are exposed to automation because they are routine, language-heavy, rules-based, or easy to route through software. Other tasks become more valuable because they require trust, physical context, judgment, coaching, compliance, or accountable decisions.

In the current displacement.ai sample, average exposure is 54, average automation pressure is 29%, and average augmentation potential is 64%. The highest displacement pressure in this category is Electrical and Electronics Drafters, while the most resilient published role is Nuclear Engineers. Use those contrasts to decide whether the better move is redesigning the current job, moving into supervision, or building a bridge to an adjacent occupation.

Occupation pages

Compare AI risk across Technology roles

Each page below includes task-level exposure, automation and augmentation scores, wage context, transition pathways, upskilling priorities, and a 90-day planning outline.

SOC 15-1252

Software Developers

Code generation changes the junior task bundle, but architecture, debugging, security, product judgment, and system ownership keep the role augmentation-heavy.

Exposure
63
Automation
29%
Augment
74%
Low
SOC 27-1024

Graphic Designers

Asset variation, layout drafts, and production design are exposed, while brand judgment, creative direction, client interpretation, and systems thinking become more important.

Exposure
64
Automation
42%
Augment
63%
Moderate
SOC 15-1212

Information Security Analysts

Alert triage, report drafting, detection tuning, and policy review can be accelerated by AI. Accountability, incident command, adversarial reasoning, and environment-specific context keep the role resilient.

Exposure
48
Automation
24%
Augment
72%
Low
SOC 15-1251

Computer Programmers

Writing code to someone else's specification is exactly what AI coding tools now do well, and BLS projected this occupation to decline even before modern code generation. The defensible move is up the stack: owning design, integration, review, and outcomes rather than implementation alone.

Exposure
72
Automation
49%
Augment
61%
High
SOC 15-1254

Web Developers

Template sites, simple storefronts, and routine page builds are increasingly produced by AI site builders, squeezing the low end of the market. Value consolidates in product engineering, performance, accessibility, integrations, and owning outcomes for businesses rather than pages.

Exposure
68
Automation
42%
Augment
66%
Moderate
SOC 15-1253

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Manual regression passes and routine test-case writing are heavily exposed as AI generates tests and exercises applications directly. Quality strategy, risk-based judgment about what to test, and owning release confidence are the durable layer, pushing QA toward engineering and away from execution.

Exposure
69
Automation
45%
Augment
64%
Moderate
SOC 15-1232

Computer User Support Specialists

Password resets, how-to questions, and known-issue triage are moving to AI assistants that resolve tickets before they reach a human. Hands-on hardware, escalations, endpoint security, and judgment calls in messy environments keep the human tier, which shifts the job toward harder tickets and systems work.

Exposure
66
Automation
44%
Augment
55%
Moderate
SOC 15-2051

Data Analysts

Routine reporting, data cleaning, and dashboard refreshes are highly exposed to automation. Analysts who frame business questions, validate model output, and translate findings into decisions remain strongly augmentable.

Exposure
62
Automation
38%
Augment
66%
Moderate
SOC 17-1011

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval

Generative design tools can produce drawing options, code checks, and early concepts quickly. Client needs interpretation, regulatory accountability, site judgment, and licensed professional sign-off keep the occupation resilient.

Exposure
48
Automation
22%
Augment
62%
Moderate
SOC 17-3011

Drafters

Converting sketches and specifications into finished CAD drawings is precisely the production task generative design and BIM automation are absorbing. Code analysis, revision coordination, and engineering collaboration offer partial shelter.

Exposure
76
Automation
54%
Augment
50%
High
SOC 11-2021

Product Managers

AI tools now draft specs, synthesize user research, and analyze market data quickly. Prioritization under constraint, engineering partnership, strategic tradeoffs, and accountability for outcomes keep product management augmentation-heavy.

Exposure
54
Automation
24%
Augment
72%
Moderate
SOC 15-1255

UX Designers

Generative UI tools can produce wireframes, layout variations, and draft copy in seconds. User research, interaction judgment, accessibility expertise, and cross-functional negotiation keep strong designers ahead of the tools.

Exposure
60
Automation
34%
Augment
70%
Moderate
SOC 15-2051

Data Scientists

AI coding assistants accelerate model prototyping, feature engineering, and analysis code. Problem formulation, experiment design, model validation, and communicating uncertainty to decision-makers keep the role firmly augmentation-led.

Exposure
60
Automation
34%
Augment
76%
Moderate
SOC 15-1212

Cybersecurity Specialists

AI accelerates threat monitoring, risk assessment documentation, and policy drafting, raising each specialist's leverage. Adversarial reasoning, incident containment, access governance, and security culture building remain human-accountable work.

Exposure
52
Automation
26%
Augment
72%
Moderate
SOC 15-1242

Database Administrators

Routine tuning, backup scheduling, patching, and access provisioning are increasingly automated by cloud database platforms and AI operations tools. Data modeling, security architecture, migration judgment, and outage accountability keep experienced administrators valuable.

Exposure
60
Automation
40%
Augment
58%
Moderate
SOC 15-1244

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Monitoring, routine maintenance, backups, and configuration tasks are being absorbed by cloud services and AI-driven operations tooling. Troubleshooting complex failures, security implementation, and physical infrastructure judgment remain human-led.

Exposure
52
Automation
30%
Augment
56%
Moderate
SOC 17-2051

Civil Engineers

Design drafting, quantity estimation, and report preparation are increasingly AI-assisted. Site judgment, regulatory accountability, public safety responsibility, and licensed sign-off keep civil engineering structurally protected.

Exposure
44
Automation
20%
Augment
60%
Low
SOC 17-2141

Mechanical Engineers

Simulation setup, drawing interpretation, and routine calculations are accelerating with AI-assisted engineering tools. Failure investigation, physical prototyping, cross-disciplinary design judgment, and manufacturing accountability keep the role resilient.

Exposure
46
Automation
22%
Augment
62%
Low
SOC 17-2071

Electrical Engineers

Schematic drafting, calculation, and specification preparation are increasingly AI-assisted. Hardware debugging, safety accountability, installation inspection, and system-level judgment across power and electronics keep the role resilient.

Exposure
44
Automation
20%
Augment
64%
Low
SOC 13-1161

UX Researchers

Transcription, theme extraction, and findings reports are now AI-accelerated, and synthetic-user tools promise cheap research. Study design, participant recruitment, behavioral observation, and organizational influence keep real research defensible.

Exposure
66
Automation
38%
Augment
70%
Moderate
SOC 15-2051

Machine Learning Engineers

The engineers building AI systems benefit most from them: scaffolding, training code, and evaluation harnesses are increasingly AI-written. System design, production reliability, evaluation judgment, and data pipeline ownership keep demand strong.

Exposure
62
Automation
34%
Augment
78%
Moderate
SOC 11-3021

IT Managers

AI operations tooling automates monitoring, reporting, and first-line support workflows. Vendor negotiation, security accountability, delivery ownership, and technology strategy keep IT leadership augmentation-led — and AI adoption itself is now part of the job.

Exposure
52
Automation
24%
Augment
68%
Moderate
SOC 15-1211

Computer Systems Analysts

Requirements documentation, system diagrams, and cost-benefit drafts are heavily AI-assisted. Needs discovery, stakeholder translation, integration judgment, and implementation troubleshooting keep the analyst function valuable.

Exposure
62
Automation
36%
Augment
68%
Moderate
SOC 17-2112

Industrial Engineers

Data analysis, layout drafting, and standards documentation are increasingly AI-assisted. Process observation, human factors judgment, cross-functional implementation, and accountability for efficiency outcomes keep the role firmly augmented.

Exposure
52
Automation
26%
Augment
66%
Moderate
SOC 17-2199

Robotics Engineers

The engineers designing robotic and automated systems benefit directly from the automation wave. Simulation, control design, and embedded code are AI-accelerated, while system integration, safety design, and physical testing keep the work deeply hands-on.

Exposure
56
Automation
28%
Augment
74%
Low
SOC 15-1241

Computer Network Architects

AI-assisted design tools generate network diagrams, configuration drafts, and capacity projections. Enterprise architecture judgment, security design, vendor evaluation, and accountability for network resilience keep architects in design authority.

Exposure
52
Automation
26%
Augment
64%
Moderate
SOC 15-1243

Database Architects

AI's appetite for clean, well-structured data makes database architecture more strategic, not less. Modeling tools and code generators accelerate schema drafting, while enterprise data design, integration strategy, and governance standards keep architects in demand.

Exposure
58
Automation
30%
Augment
70%
Moderate
SOC 17-2011

Aerospace Engineers

Simulation, design iteration, and technical documentation are increasingly AI-accelerated. Prototype testing, certification analysis, safety-critical design judgment, and clearance-protected program work keep aerospace engineering augmentation-led.

Exposure
50
Automation
24%
Augment
66%
Low
SOC 17-2031

Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

AI accelerates modeling, simulation, and research documentation across medical device work. Regulatory submissions, clinical collaboration, bench testing, and design controls for devices that go inside human bodies keep the role rigorously human-accountable.

Exposure
52
Automation
26%
Augment
68%
Moderate
SOC 17-2041

Chemical Engineers

Process modeling, data analysis, and cost reporting are increasingly AI-assisted. Pilot plant judgment, safety procedure design, plant troubleshooting, and scale-up decisions for physical chemical processes keep the role augmentation-led.

Exposure
50
Automation
24%
Augment
64%
Low
SOC 17-2081

Environmental Engineers

Environmental data analysis, report drafting, and modeling are increasingly AI-assisted. Site assessment, remediation design, regulatory negotiation, and accountability for cleanup outcomes keep environmental engineering grounded in fieldwork and judgment.

Exposure
48
Automation
22%
Augment
62%
Low
SOC 17-3024

Robotics Technicians

Every robot installed in a factory needs someone to install, program, calibrate, and repair it — that is this job. Technicians build, maintain, and troubleshoot the automation displacing other roles, putting them on the winning side of the transition.

Exposure
42
Automation
24%
Augment
56%
Low
SOC 19-1042

Medical Scientists

AI literature synthesis, protein-structure prediction, and data analysis are transforming research speed. Experiment design, laboratory technique, grant strategy, and the judgment to trust a novel result keep medical research human-led.

Exposure
58
Automation
30%
Augment
72%
Moderate
SOC 19-1041

Epidemiologists

Surveillance data analysis, statistical modeling, and report writing are heavily AI-augmentable. Outbreak investigation, study design, field interviews, and communicating uncertainty to policymakers and the public keep epidemiology human-anchored.

Exposure
58
Automation
30%
Augment
70%
Moderate
SOC 19-2041

Environmental Scientists and Specialists

Environmental data synthesis, monitoring analysis, and report drafting are strongly AI-augmentable. Field sampling, regulatory interpretation, site inspection, and scientific guidance to agencies and industry keep the role grounded.

Exposure
54
Automation
28%
Augment
64%
Moderate
SOC 15-1299

Penetration Testers

AI tools now run vulnerability scans and draft exploit paths, compressing the routine reconnaissance layer. Creative attack chaining, business-logic flaws, social engineering, and accountable sign-off on security posture keep human testers essential.

Exposure
58
Automation
32%
Augment
74%
Low
SOC 19-2031

Chemists

AI synthesis planners and literature tools accelerate the analysis and design layers of chemistry. Bench work — running reactions, maintaining instruments, validating materials — plus safety accountability keep chemists laboratory-bound.

Exposure
50
Automation
26%
Augment
66%
Moderate
SOC 19-2021

Meteorologists

AI weather models now beat conventional forecasting on many benchmarks — the honest headline. Forecaster judgment on high-stakes local events, warning communication, and interpreting model disagreement keep meteorologists in the loop.

Exposure
62
Automation
36%
Augment
74%
Moderate
SOC 19-4092

Forensic Science Technicians

AI pattern tools assist fingerprint and image comparison, but every forensic result feeds a courtroom: chain of custody, documented methods, and testimony under cross-examination keep certified technicians accountable for the evidence.

Exposure
44
Automation
22%
Augment
58%
Low
SOC 15-1221

Computer and Information Research Scientists

AI assists the research workflow — literature review, experiment code, paper drafts — but this is the field creating the technology. Problem formulation, novel method design, and judging whether a result is real keep research scientists scarce and augmentation-led.

Exposure
56
Automation
26%
Augment
78%
Low
SOC 15-1231

Computer Network Support Specialists

AI diagnostics and automated remediation handle routine connectivity tickets, while cabling, hardware replacement, and multi-site outage triage keep physical and judgment layers. Unlike user helpdesk, this role owns the infrastructure itself.

Exposure
60
Automation
36%
Augment
60%
Moderate
SOC 15-2021

Mathematicians

AI proof assistants and symbolic tools now contribute to serious mathematics, accelerating computation and conjecture testing. Defining worthwhile problems, judging proof validity, and building new theory keep mathematicians in augmentation territory.

Exposure
58
Automation
28%
Augment
74%
Moderate
SOC 17-2061

Computer Hardware Engineers

AI-driven chip design tools now explore layouts and optimize circuits, accelerating design cycles. Prototype testing, hardware-software interface judgment, and accountability for physical silicon keep hardware engineers firmly augmented.

Exposure
50
Automation
24%
Augment
68%
Low
SOC 17-2072

Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

Circuit simulation and AI-assisted design tools accelerate component design and documentation. Prototype debugging, standards compliance, and cross-discipline integration judgment keep electronics engineers augmentation-led.

Exposure
50
Automation
24%
Augment
66%
Low
SOC 17-2131

Materials Engineers

AI materials discovery predicts candidate compounds and properties, dramatically accelerating the search phase. Laboratory testing, failure analysis, fabrication method judgment, and production supervision keep materials engineers bench-anchored.

Exposure
52
Automation
26%
Augment
68%
Moderate
SOC 17-2161

Nuclear Engineers

Reactor design analysis and safety documentation are increasingly AI-assisted. NRC licensing, safety-case accountability, emergency authority, and plant operations oversight make nuclear engineering one of the most structurally protected technical roles.

Exposure
46
Automation
20%
Augment
62%
Low
SOC 17-2171

Petroleum Engineers

Reservoir simulation, production analytics, and well-placement optimization are heavily AI-assisted. Field operations oversight, completion design judgment, and high-consequence drilling decisions keep petroleum engineers accountable on site.

Exposure
50
Automation
26%
Augment
66%
Low
SOC 17-1012

Landscape Architects

Generative tools produce planting plans and site renderings quickly, pressuring the visualization layer. Site analysis, drainage and ecology judgment, regulatory approvals, and licensed stamp authority keep landscape architecture distinct.

Exposure
56
Automation
30%
Augment
66%
Moderate
SOC 17-1022

Surveyors

Drones and photogrammetry capture site data in a fraction of the traditional time, transforming fieldwork economics. Legal boundary determination, certified survey liability, and expert testimony keep licensed surveyors necessary.

Exposure
44
Automation
24%
Augment
58%
Low
SOC 17-3022

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Drafting, quantity calculation, and specification documentation are increasingly AI-assisted. Field inspection, materials testing, and site evaluation under an engineer's direction keep technicians grounded in physical verification.

Exposure
62
Automation
40%
Augment
56%
Moderate
SOC 19-2012

Physicists

AI accelerates simulation, data analysis, and literature synthesis in physics research. Experiment design, instrumentation, and the judgment to recognize a real discovery — rather than a fit artifact — keep the field firmly augmentation-led.

Exposure
48
Automation
22%
Augment
74%
Low
SOC 19-1021

Biochemists and Biophysicists

Protein-structure prediction tools solved a fifty-year problem and changed this field's daily work. Experimental validation, drug development research, and the judgment to know when a predicted structure is wrong keep biochemists essential.

Exposure
52
Automation
26%
Augment
74%
Low
SOC 19-1022

Microbiologists

AI image analysis accelerates organism identification and lab reading. Culture work, contamination investigation, and public-health testing are physical laboratory tasks where technique and judgment determine whether results are trustworthy.

Exposure
46
Automation
24%
Augment
62%
Low
SOC 19-1023

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

Camera-trap AI and acoustic classifiers process wildlife observations at scale, multiplying what one biologist can monitor. Field surveys, habitat assessment, and management recommendations for specific ecosystems keep the role field-anchored.

Exposure
40
Automation
20%
Augment
58%
Low
SOC 19-1031

Conservation Scientists

GIS analysis and remote sensing automate much of the mapping and monitoring that once filled field days. Advising landowners, designing conservation practices, and mediating land-use disputes keep scientists in the field and at the table.

Exposure
44
Automation
22%
Augment
60%
Low
SOC 19-1012

Food Scientists and Technologists

AI formulation tools suggest recipes and predict shelf life, accelerating product development cycles. Sensory testing, food safety verification, and regulatory compliance keep scientists in the lab and pilot plant.

Exposure
50
Automation
26%
Augment
64%
Moderate
SOC 19-4021

Biological Technicians

Lab automation and AI data analysis cover more of the routine testing and recording that define this role. Sample collection, instrument setup, and experiment monitoring keep technicians needed, but routine bench volume is genuinely compressing.

Exposure
58
Automation
38%
Augment
54%
Moderate
SOC 17-2111

Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers

Suppression system design, hazard analysis, and safety-code evaluation are increasingly simulation-assisted. Accident investigation, expert testimony, and accountability for life-safety design keep protection engineers professionally anchored.

Exposure
48
Automation
24%
Augment
64%
Low
SOC 17-2121

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Hull design simulation and stability analysis are heavily computational, making this an augmentation-friendly specialty. Sea trials, regulatory classification, and accountability for vessel safety keep marine engineers in design and survey authority.

Exposure
48
Automation
24%
Augment
62%
Low
SOC 17-3012

Electrical and Electronics Drafters

Producing wiring diagrams, circuit-board layouts, and connection specifications from engineer sketches is production drafting that design-automation tools now generate from models. Design coordination and revision judgment offer the remaining leverage.

Exposure
80
Automation
58%
Augment
50%
High
SOC 17-3013

Mechanical Drafters

Producing detailed mechanical drawings from sketches and specifications is precisely the task parametric CAD and generative detailing now automate. Design revision judgment, tolerance application, and engineer collaboration keep skilled drafters in the loop.

Exposure
78
Automation
56%
Augment
52%
High
SOC 17-3021

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Test setup, instrumentation, and data recording for aircraft development are increasingly automated and simulated. Physical test rigs, pre-flight checkouts, and on-program troubleshooting keep technicians embedded in hardware programs.

Exposure
52
Automation
28%
Augment
62%
Moderate
SOC 17-3023

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Bench testing, prototype assembly, and circuit troubleshooting are hands-on electronics work that simulation cannot replace. Test-automation software runs the repetitive measurement sequences; technicians set them up and interpret failures.

Exposure
54
Automation
30%
Augment
62%
Moderate
SOC 17-3025

Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Field sampling, pollution monitoring, and compliance documentation support environmental engineering projects. Remote sensors automate continuous monitoring, but sample collection, decontamination, and site inspection remain fieldwork.

Exposure
50
Automation
28%
Augment
60%
Moderate
SOC 17-3027

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Mechanical engineering technicians build test rigs, run instrumented tests, and turn sketches into fabrication-ready drawings. Simulation software and AI-assisted CAD compress the drafting and calculation load, while rigging, instrumentation, and hands-on troubleshooting stay on the bench.

Exposure
58
Automation
34%
Augment
60%
Moderate
SOC 17-1021

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

Cartographers compile aerial imagery, survey notes, and satellite data into maps, and automated generalization now drafts much of that compilation. AI feature extraction from imagery is genuinely good, so the role is shifting toward database design, accuracy verification, and editorial judgment about what a map should say.

Exposure
68
Automation
44%
Augment
58%
Moderate
SOC 17-3031

Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Surveying and mapping technicians hold the rods, run the total stations, and turn field measurements into map layers. GNSS receivers, drones, and automated plotters compress both collection and drafting, leaving instrument setup, error checking, and boundary research as the durable core.

Exposure
56
Automation
34%
Augment
54%
Moderate
SOC 19-1013

Soil and Plant Scientists

Soil and plant scientists run field experiments on crop varieties, soil health, and land management. Sensor networks and satellite imagery now stream the data they once collected by hand, and AI phenotyping scores plots faster than any field crew, but experiment design and agronomic judgment still set the questions.

Exposure
46
Automation
22%
Augment
62%
Low
SOC 19-2011

Astronomers

Astronomy is already a machine-learning field: survey telescopes generate more data than humans can inspect, and ML pipelines classify objects, flag anomalies, and clean images as standard practice. The astronomer's work is choosing the questions, building the instruments and software, and deciding what a detection means.

Exposure
42
Automation
20%
Augment
66%
Low
SOC 19-2032

Materials Scientists

Materials scientists study metals, polymers, and ceramics to develop products with specific properties. Materials-discovery AI now screens thousands of candidate compounds before a lab test runs, shifting the human work toward experiment planning, failure analysis, and validating what the models propose.

Exposure
52
Automation
26%
Augment
68%
Moderate
SOC 19-2042

Geoscientists

Geoscientists interpret well logs, seismic surveys, and field samples to locate resources and assess hazards. Machine learning now pre-interprets seismic sections and classifies formations, but ground-truthing a model against an actual outcrop, and staking a drilling decision on it, stays with the geologist.

Exposure
48
Automation
24%
Augment
62%
Moderate
SOC 19-2043

Hydrologists

Hydrologists measure streamflows, model watersheds, and forecast floods and water supply. Gauge telemetry and ML-enhanced flood models automate the measurement and first-pass prediction, while investigators who design studies, calibrate instruments, and defend forecasts to water managers remain essential.

Exposure
48
Automation
24%
Augment
64%
Moderate
SOC 19-3041

Sociologists

Sociologists design studies of groups, institutions, and social behavior. Text analysis and survey-modeling tools now process qualitative data at scale, but gaining access to communities, designing instruments people will actually answer, and interpreting behavior in context remain fieldwork judgment.

Exposure
52
Automation
26%
Augment
62%
Moderate
SOC 19-3091

Anthropologists and Archeologists

Anthropologists and archeologists excavate sites, study cultures, and interpret material remains. LiDAR survey and AI artifact classification speed up detection and cataloging, but excavation is destructive, unrepeatable fieldwork, and ethnographic research depends on trust that no instrument collects.

Exposure
44
Automation
20%
Augment
58%
Low
SOC 19-3092

Geographers

Geographers study the distribution of physical and cultural phenomena across space. Automated data compilation and AI-assisted cartography handle routine mapping, shifting the work toward spatial analysis design, consulting on location and hazard questions, and maintaining the geographic data systems organizations now depend on.

Exposure
54
Automation
28%
Augment
62%
Moderate
SOC 19-3093

Historians

Historians gather evidence from archives, diaries, and records, then judge its authenticity and significance. Handwritten-text recognition and AI summarization now transcribe and digest documents at scale, which expands the searchable archive while putting a premium on source criticism, the discipline's core skill.

Exposure
56
Automation
30%
Augment
62%
Moderate
SOC 19-3094

Political Scientists

Political scientists test theories against election data, surveys, legislation, and case law. Natural-language tools now code political text and draft literature reviews quickly, but research design, forecast accountability, and advising decision-makers on what a trend means remain judgment work.

Exposure
54
Automation
28%
Augment
64%
Moderate
SOC 19-4031

Chemical Technicians

Chemical technicians set up experiments, run chromatography and spectroscopy tests, and monitor product quality. Automated analyzers and lab information systems handle the repetitive runs, while sample prep, instrument maintenance, and catching results that look wrong keep technicians on the bench.

Exposure
58
Automation
36%
Augment
56%
Moderate
SOC 19-4042

Environmental Science Technicians

Environmental science and protection technicians collect air, soil, and water samples, run pollutant tests, and document hazardous conditions. Continuous monitoring stations automate routine readings, but regulated chain-of-custody sampling, spill investigation, and field inspection stay physical and accountability-bound.

Exposure
54
Automation
30%
Augment
58%
Moderate
SOC 19-4051

Nuclear Technicians

Nuclear technicians monitor reactor equipment, run surveillance tests, and control radiation exposure under tightly regulated procedures. Plants add digital monitoring and predictive maintenance, but the industry's regulatory culture automates slowly, and every abnormal-event response is staffed by qualified humans.

Exposure
40
Automation
20%
Augment
52%
Low
SOC 19-4071

Forest and Conservation Technicians

Forest and conservation technicians thin stands, patrol forests, map tract data, and lead seasonal crews. Drones and digital mapping improve surveying and fire detection, but the work itself happens in terrain: cutting, planting, patrolling, and enforcing regulations where the trees are.

Exposure
34
Automation
14%
Augment
46%
Low
SOC 19-4061

Social Science Research Assistants

Social science research assistants clean datasets, run statistical analyses, and prepare the tables and reports behind academic research. This is squarely in the current AI competence zone: code generation, data cleaning, and first-draft summaries compress exactly the tasks that define the role.

Exposure
66
Automation
42%
Augment
60%
Moderate
SOC 17-2021

Agricultural Engineers

Agricultural engineers design the machinery, irrigation, and sensor systems that precision agriculture runs on. Modeling software and simulation accelerate design work, but field conditions — soil, weather, animal behavior — require engineers who test equipment where it will actually be used.

Exposure
42
Automation
19%
Augment
60%
Low
SOC 17-2151

Mining and Geological Engineers

Mining and geological engineers design extraction plans, select methods, and inspect mines for safety. Autonomous haul trucks and drilling systems now run production at large sites, but mine design, ground-control judgment, and the safety inspection of working areas remain licensed engineering work.

Exposure
42
Automation
19%
Augment
60%
Low
SOC 17-3028

Calibration Technologists and Technicians

Calibration technologists test and adjust measurement devices against known standards. Automated calibration benches run the repetitive comparisons, but traceability documentation, field calibration of installed instruments, and judgment about anomalous drift keep technicians in the loop.

Exposure
44
Automation
22%
Augment
56%
Moderate
SOC 19-1011

Animal Scientists

Animal scientists research nutrition, breeding, and management to improve animal production. Genomic selection tools and precision-feeding sensors now generate the data at scale, shifting scientists toward study design and interpretation while herd-level decisions still need biological judgment.

Exposure
44
Automation
20%
Augment
62%
Low
SOC 19-1032

Foresters

Foresters plan timber harvests, manage conservation projects, and negotiate land agreements. Satellite imagery and LiDAR now inventory stands remotely, changing how foresters measure — but harvest plans, contract negotiation, and walking the tract to verify what the imagery claims stay in the field.

Exposure
38
Automation
16%
Augment
56%
Low
SOC 19-3032

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Industrial-organizational psychologists design employee selection systems, assessments, and development programs. AI hiring tools and people-analytics platforms are exactly their subject matter — and their professional role is validating that those tools actually predict performance without discriminating.

Exposure
48
Automation
23%
Augment
66%
Low

What to do next

  1. Open the occupation page closest to your current work and review the task profile.
  2. Compare the top two transition pathways and choose the one that preserves the most wage and skill overlap.
  3. Use the calculator to adjust location, salary target, training runway, strengths, and move style.
  4. Save or share the plan before starting a course, portfolio project, or internal career conversation.
Which Technology jobs are most exposed to AI?

In this category, Electrical and Electronics Drafters currently has the highest displacement-pressure score in the published sample. Review the role page to see whether the risk comes from language work, routine information handling, reporting, customer interaction, or another task pattern.

Does a high category score mean every job is unsafe?

No. Category averages hide important differences between tasks and roles. Use the occupation pages to compare automation pressure, augmentation potential, wage vulnerability, and transition feasibility before deciding on a move.