Materials Scientists

Materials Scientists score 48 out of 100, which is elevated exposure to AI. That ranks #274 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 16 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 2 on its own and 11 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 8 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

48/ 100

Elevated

Rank: #274of 923 jobs
US workers: 8,470BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $117,790a year
In real AI use: 8 of 16tasks, April–May 2026

Free report

Follow how AI is changing materials scientists work.

Subscribe to the weekly report and get The AI Job Exposure Report (PDF) right away: the most and least exposed jobs, exposure by field, and the AI-resilient jobs that pay well.

Free · one email a week · unsubscribe anytime

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 2 (13%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 11 (69%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 3 (19%)

Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Write research papers for publication in scientific journals.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Conduct research on the structures and properties of materials, such as metals, alloys, polymers, and ceramics, to obtain information that could be used to develop new products or enhance existing ones.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Plan laboratory experiments to confirm feasibility of processes and techniques used in the production of materials with special characteristics.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Devise testing methods to evaluate the effects of various conditions on particular materials.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Perform experiments and computer modeling to study the nature, structure, and physical and chemical properties of metals and their alloys, and their responses to applied forces.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Recommend materials for reliable performance in various environments.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Test material samples for tolerance under tension, compression, and shear to determine the cause of metal failures.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Confer with customers to determine how to tailor materials to their needs.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Supervise and monitor production processes to ensure efficient use of equipment, timely changes to specifications, and project completion within time frame and budget.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Test individual parts and products to ensure that manufacturer and governmental quality and safety standards are met.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Research methods of processing, forming, and firing materials to develop such products as ceramic dental fillings, unbreakable dinner plates, and telescope lenses.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Visit suppliers of materials or users of products to gather specific information.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Teach in colleges and universities.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task · Seen in real AI use

What you can do about it

Get a personal plan for what to learn next.

Skill Half Life turns this score into a 90-day plan for your situation: your realistic options, the skills that carry over, and training that fits your time and budget. Coming soon.

See your options

Similar jobs, lower exposure

Related occupations that score at least 10 points lower.

Chemists38

Other jobs in this field

Life, Physical, and Social Science occupations close to this one.

All life, physical, and social science jobs and AI

Questions about materials scientists and AI

Will AI replace materials scientists?

Not entirely. Parts of the job are likely to change as AI takes over routine tasks. Materials Scientists score 48 out of 100 (elevated exposure), #274 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 13 of the job's 16 tasks, 2 of them on its own, while 3 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which materials scientists tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers"; "Write research papers for publication in scientific journals".

Which materials scientists tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold"; "Visit suppliers of materials or users of products to gather specific information"; "Teach in colleges and universities".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 8 of the 16 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as materials scientists, and what do they earn?

About 8,470 people in the US, with median pay of $117,790 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.