AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 19-2021.00
Will AI replace Atmospheric and Space Scientists?
Atmospheric and Space Scientists: AI can already handle 20 of 27 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 27 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Atmospheric and Space Scientists, from most to least exposed. 20 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conduct meteorological research into the processes or determinants of atmospheric phenomena, weather, or climate. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Broadcast weather conditions, forecasts, or severe weather warnings to the public via television, radio, or the Internet or provide this information to the news media. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Direct forecasting services at weather stations or at radio or television broadcasting facilities. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Gather data from sources such as surface or upper air stations, satellites, weather bureaus, or radar for use in meteorological reports or forecasts. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Prepare weather reports or maps for analysis, distribution, or use in weather broadcasts, using computer graphics. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Prepare scientific atmospheric or climate reports, articles, or texts. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Analyze climate data sets, using techniques such as geophysical fluid dynamics, data assimilation, or numerical modeling. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Analyze historical climate information, such as precipitation or temperature records, to help predict future weather or climate trends. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Research the impact of industrial projects or pollution on climate, air quality, or weather phenomena. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Conduct numerical simulations of climate conditions to understand and predict global or regional weather patterns. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Estimate or predict the effects of global warming over time for specific geographic regions. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Speak to the public to discuss weather topics or answer questions. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Apply meteorological knowledge to issues such as global warming, pollution control, or ozone depletion. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Measure wind, temperature, and humidity in the upper atmosphere, using weather balloons. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Create visualizations to illustrate historical or future changes in the Earth's climate, using paleoclimate or climate geographic information systems (GIS) databases. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Interpret data, reports, maps, photographs, or charts to predict long- or short-range weather conditions, using computer models and knowledge of climate theory, physics, and mathematics. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Formulate predictions by interpreting environmental data, such as meteorological, atmospheric, oceanic, paleoclimate, climate, or related information. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Consult with other offices, agencies, professionals, or researchers regarding the use and interpretation of climatological information for weather predictions and warnings. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Conduct wind assessment, integration, or validation studies. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Develop or use mathematical or computer models for weather forecasting. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Develop computer programs to collect meteorological data or to present meteorological information. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Develop and deliver training on weather topics. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Collect air samples from planes or ships over land or sea to study atmospheric composition. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Design or develop new equipment or methods for meteorological data collection, remote sensing, or related applications. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Perform managerial duties, such as creating work schedules, creating or implementing staff training, matching staff expertise to situations, or analyzing performance of offices. | Estimated | Standard |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 27 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 27 of 27. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 10,000
- Median annual wage
- $99,070
- Middle half of earners
- $73,350 to $129,960
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +0.7%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Astronomers 70% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure61
- Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary 66% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure63
- Physicists 64% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure58
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health 63% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure54
- Hydrologists 62% skill overlap, about 14 months to move Exposure56
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Atmospheric and Space Scientists and AI
Will AI replace Atmospheric and Space Scientists?
AI already handles 20 of the 27 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 66 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +0.7% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Atmospheric and Space Scientists?
66 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 27 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 27 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Atmospheric and Space Scientists tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Conduct meteorological research into the processes or determinants of atmospheric phenomena, weather, or climate; Broadcast weather conditions, forecasts, or severe weather warnings to the public via television, radio, or the Internet or provide this information to the news media; Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups. They are three of the 20 tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Atmospheric and Space Scientists, and what do they earn?
10,000 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $99,070 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +0.7% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Atmospheric and Space Scientists. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/atmospheric-and-space-scientists
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