AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 15-1221.00
Will AI replace Computer and Information Research Scientists?
Computer and Information Research Scientists: AI can already handle 3 of 15 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 15 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Computer and Information Research Scientists, from most to least exposed. 3 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software. | Observed | Frontier | |
| Develop performance standards, and evaluate work in light of established standards. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Consult with users, management, vendors, and technicians to determine computing needs and system requirements. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Design computers and the software that runs them. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Meet with managers, vendors, and others to solicit cooperation and resolve problems. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Conduct logical analyses of business, scientific, engineering, and other technical problems, formulating mathematical models of problems for solution by computers. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Participate in multidisciplinary projects in areas such as virtual reality, human-computer interaction, or robotics. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Direct daily operations of departments, coordinating project activities with other departments. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Approve, prepare, monitor, and adjust operational budgets. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses. | Observed | Standard | |
| Evaluate project plans and proposals to assess feasibility issues. | Observed | Efficient | |
| Develop and interpret organizational goals, policies, and procedures. | Observed | Standard | |
| Participate in staffing decisions and direct training of subordinates. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Maintain network hardware and software, direct network security measures, and monitor networks to ensure availability to system users. | Estimated | Efficient |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 4 of 15 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 11 of 15. 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
- 37,200
- Median annual wage
- $140,300
- Middle half of earners
- $103,570 to $188,700
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +19.7%
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.
- Software Developers 69% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure60
- Bioinformatics Scientists 68% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure60
- Computer Systems Engineers/Architects 67% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure58
- Information Security Engineers 66% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure58
- Information Security Analysts 66% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure65
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Computer and Information Research Scientists and AI
Will AI replace Computer and Information Research Scientists?
AI already handles 3 of the 15 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 47 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 +19.7% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Computer and Information Research Scientists?
47 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 15 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 11 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Computer and Information Research Scientists tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software; Develop performance standards, and evaluate work in light of established standards; Consult with users, management, vendors, and technicians to determine computing needs and system requirements. They are the 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 Computer and Information Research Scientists, and what do they earn?
37,200 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $140,300 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +19.7% 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: Computer and Information Research 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/computer-and-information-research-scientists
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