AI and your job · data checked October 2026
Will AI replace data scientists?
No. BLS projects data scientist jobs to grow 35% from 2025 to 2035, among the fastest of any job, partly because businesses need help using AI.
Projected US jobs, 2025–35
+35%
Much faster than average · 275,600 jobs in 2025
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026AI exposure, as rated by BLS
Very high
Out of Low, Moderate, High and Very high. BLS says exposure doesn’t mean job loss.
BLS, 2026How much of the work AI chatbots already help with
#19
Of 785 US jobs ranked by AI applicability (score 0.36)
Microsoft Research, 2025Exposure to generative AI, worldwide
Gradient 3
Closest ILO group: Mathematicians, Actuaries and Statisticians
International Labour Organization, 2025These measures use different methods (tasks, real chatbot use, expert ratings), so they can disagree.
“Data scientists will be needed to help businesses leverage AI and other technologies to enhance their business processes...” US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What AI already does well
- Presenting research and technical findings Microsoft Research
- Advising on how to design or use a technology Microsoft Research
- Writing technical procedures and documentation Microsoft Research
What still needs you
- Mathematical data analysis: lower success rate Microsoft Research
- Designing databases: little AI use seen Microsoft Research
3 moves for data scientists this month
- 1Learn to build, evaluate and deploy AI models, not only dashboards.
- 2Use AI to write boilerplate code and documentation; check its statistics yourself.
- 3Get closer to business decisions: framing questions and explaining results to managers.
How AI-proof are you, personally?
The job is one part. The free 2-minute check also looks at your money, your security and your mind, and gives you 3 moves.
Check my AI risk as a data scientist →How worried is the world about AI today? See the AI Fear Index →
BLS figures are US projections for 2025–35; the ILO index covers the world. Microsoft’s ranking reflects how people used Bing Copilot in 2024, not what AI can do at work. General information, not career advice.