AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 17-2031.00

Will AI replace Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers?

Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers: AI can already handle 14 of 30 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 30 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers, from most to least exposed. 14 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Prepare technical reports, data summary documents, or research articles for scientific publication, regulatory submissions, or patent applications. 75 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, on the engineering aspects of the biological systems of humans and animals. 75 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Read current scientific or trade literature to stay abreast of scientific, industrial, or technological advances. 75 Estimated Standard 3.9
Manage teams of engineers by creating schedules, tracking inventory, creating or using budgets, or overseeing contract obligations or deadlines. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.9
Communicate with bioregulatory authorities regarding licensing or compliance responsibilities. 75 Estimated Standard 3.6
Collaborate with manufacturing or quality assurance staff to prepare product specification or safety sheets, standard operating procedures, user manuals, or qualification and validation reports. 75 Estimated Standard 3.5
Analyze new medical procedures to forecast likely outcomes. 75 Estimated Standard 3.5
Evaluate the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of biomedical equipment. 65 Estimated Standard 4.3
Consult with chemists or biologists to develop or evaluate novel technologies. 65 Estimated Standard 3.4
Review existing manufacturing processes to identify opportunities for yield improvement or reduced process variation. 65 Estimated Efficient 2.9
Recommend process formulas, instrumentation, or equipment specifications, based on results of bench or pilot experimentation. 60 Estimated Standard 3.2
Advise manufacturing staff regarding problems with fermentation, filtration, or other bioproduction processes. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.0
Advise hospital administrators on the planning, acquisition, and use of medical equipment. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.0
Lead studies to examine or recommend changes in process sequences or operation protocols. 60 Estimated Efficient 2.8
Design or develop medical diagnostic or clinical instrumentation, equipment, or procedures, using the principles of engineering and biobehavioral sciences. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.2
Develop statistical models or simulations, using statistical or modeling software. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.9
Develop models or computer simulations of human biobehavioral systems to obtain data for measuring or controlling life processes. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.9
Design or conduct follow-up experimentation, based on generated data, to meet established process objectives. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Develop methodologies for transferring procedures or biological processes from laboratories to commercial-scale manufacturing production. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.5
Research new materials to be used for products, such as implanted artificial organs. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Design and deliver technology, such as prosthetic devices, to assist people with disabilities. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.4
Prepare project plans for equipment or facility improvements, including time lines, budgetary estimates, or capital spending requests. 50 Estimated Standard 3.4
Confer with research and biomanufacturing personnel to ensure the compatibility of design and production. 50 Estimated Standard 3.2
Communicate with suppliers regarding the design or specifications of bioproduction equipment, instrumentation, or materials. 50 Estimated Standard 3.1
Develop bioremediation processes to reduce pollution, protect the environment, or treat waste products. 50 Estimated Frontier 2.8
Design or direct bench or pilot production experiments to determine the scale of production methods that optimize product yield and minimize production costs. 50 Estimated Frontier 2.6
Adapt or design computer hardware or software for medical science uses. 40 Observed Standard 4.1
Conduct training or in-services to educate clinicians and other personnel on proper use of equipment. 35 Estimated Efficient 3.0
Maintain databases of experiment characteristics or results. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Write documents describing protocols, policies, standards for use, maintenance, and repair of medical equipment. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.6

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 1 of 30 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 29 of 30. 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
23,480
Median annual wage
$109,370
Middle half of earners
$86,980 to $136,600
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+5.2%

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.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers and AI

Will AI replace Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers?

AI already handles 14 of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 56 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 +5.2% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers?

56 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. 1 of the 30 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 29 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Prepare technical reports, data summary documents, or research articles for scientific publication, regulatory submissions, or patent applications; Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, on the engineering aspects of the biological systems of humans and animals; Read current scientific or trade literature to stay abreast of scientific, industrial, or technological advances. They are three of the 14 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 Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers, and what do they earn?

23,480 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $109,370 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +5.2% 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: Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers. 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/bioengineers-and-biomedical-engineers

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