AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 19-1029.01
Will AI replace Bioinformatics Scientists?
Bioinformatics Scientists: AI can already handle 4 of 20 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 20 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Bioinformatics Scientists, from most to least exposed. 4 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop new software applications or customize existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs. | Observed | Frontier | |
| Consult with researchers to analyze problems, recommend technology-based solutions, or determine computational strategies. | Observed | Frontier | |
| Recommend new systems and processes to improve operations. | Observed | Frontier | |
| Compile data for use in activities, such as gene expression profiling, genome annotation, or structural bioinformatics. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Communicate research results through conference presentations, scientific publications, or project reports. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Analyze large molecular datasets, such as raw microarray data, genomic sequence data, or proteomics data, for clinical or basic research purposes. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Keep abreast of new biochemistries, instrumentation, or software by reading scientific literature and attending professional conferences. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Manipulate publicly accessible, commercial, or proprietary genomic, proteomic, or post-genomic databases. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Direct the work of technicians and information technology staff applying bioinformatics tools or applications in areas such as proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, or clinical bioinformatics. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Provide statistical and computational tools for biologically based activities, such as genetic analysis, measurement of gene expression, or gene function determination. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Improve user interfaces to bioinformatics software and databases. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Create or modify web-based bioinformatics tools. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Instruct others in the selection and use of bioinformatics tools. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Test new and updated bioinformatics tools and software. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Prepare summary statistics of information regarding human genomes. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Develop data models and databases. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Design and apply bioinformatics algorithms including unsupervised and supervised machine learning, dynamic programming, or graphic algorithms. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Confer with departments, such as marketing, business development, or operations, to coordinate product development or improvement. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Collaborate with software developers in the development and modification of commercial bioinformatics software. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Create novel computational approaches and analytical tools as required by research goals. | Observed | Frontier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 4 of 20 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 16 of 20. 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
- 55,850
- Median annual wage
- $98,920
- Middle half of earners
- $76,800 to $127,670
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +1.2%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.
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.
- Bioinformatics Technicians 80% skill overlap, about 7 months to move Exposure62
- Biostatisticians 77% skill overlap, about 8 months to move Exposure57
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 70% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure65
- Biologists 69% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure56
- Biochemists and Biophysicists 69% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure57
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Bioinformatics Scientists and AI
Will AI replace Bioinformatics Scientists?
AI already handles 4 of the 20 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 60 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 +1.2% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Bioinformatics Scientists?
60 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. 4 of the 20 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 16 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Bioinformatics Scientists tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Develop new software applications or customize existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs; Consult with researchers to analyze problems, recommend technology-based solutions, or determine computational strategies; Recommend new systems and processes to improve operations. They are three of the 4 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 Bioinformatics Scientists, and what do they earn?
55,850 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $98,920 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +1.2% 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: Bioinformatics 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/bioinformatics-scientists
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