Mathematicians

Mathematicians score 100 out of 100, which is very high exposure to AI. That ranks #1 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 11 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 11 on its own and 0 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 7 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

100/ 100

Very high

Rank: #1of 923 jobs
US workers: 2,030BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $126,710a year
In real AI use: 7 of 11tasks, April–May 2026

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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: 11 (100%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 0 (0%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 0 (0%)

Address the relationships of quantities, magnitudes, and forms through the use of numbers and symbols.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Apply mathematical theories and techniques to the solution of practical problems in business, engineering, the sciences, or other fields.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Conduct research to extend mathematical knowledge in traditional areas, such as algebra, geometry, probability, and logic.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Develop mathematical or statistical models of phenomena to be used for analysis or for computational simulation.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Perform computations and apply methods of numerical analysis to data.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Assemble sets of assumptions, and explore the consequences of each set.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Develop computational methods for solving problems that occur in areas of science and engineering or that come from applications in business or industry.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Design, analyze, and decipher encryption systems designed to transmit military, political, financial, or law-enforcement-related information in code.AI can speed this up on its own · supplemental task · Seen in real AI use

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Questions about mathematicians and AI

Will AI replace mathematicians?

Probably not entirely, but the job is likely to change a lot. Mathematicians score 100 out of 100 (very high exposure), #1 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 11 of the job's 11 tasks, 11 of them on its own. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which mathematicians tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Address the relationships of quantities, magnitudes, and forms through the use of numbers and symbols"; "Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences"; "Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences".

Which mathematicians tasks are hardest for AI?

Every task in this job has some AI exposure, though 0 of them need extra software built around the AI.

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 7 of the 11 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

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

About 2,030 people in the US, with median pay of $126,710 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.