Overview
1. Automation Risk
2. User Poll
3. Growth
4. Wages
5. Volume
Decription
Resources
Comments

Physicists

AUTOMATION RISK
CALCULATED
0.0%
risk level
POLLING
17.4%
Based on 686 votes
LABOR DEMAND
GROWTH
8.2%
by 2031
WAGES
$142,850
or $68.67 hourly
VOLUME
18,840
as of 2022
SUMMARY
JOB SCORE
8.3/10
Vote
Comments (22)

Automation risk

0.0% (Minimal Risk)

Minimal Risk (0-20%): Occupations in this category have a low probability of being automated, as they typically demand complex problem-solving, creativity, strong interpersonal skills, and a high degree of manual dexterity. These jobs often involve intricate hand movements and precise coordination, making it difficult for machines to replicate the required tasks.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Some very important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Originality

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Social Perceptiveness

  • Persuasion

User poll

17.4% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted that there is very little chance of this occupation being replaced. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 0.0% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that this occupation will be replaced by robots or AI in the next 20 years?






Growth

Fast growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Physicists' job openings is expected to rise 8.2% by 2031

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2021 and 2031.
Updated projections are due Sep 2023.

Wages

Very high paid relative to other professions

In 2022, the median annual wage for 'Physicists' was $142,850, or $68.67 per hour

'Physicists' were paid 208.5% higher than the national median wage, which stood at $46,310

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Volume

Lower range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2022 there were 18,840 people employed as Physicists within the United States.

This represents around 0.013% of the employed workforce across the country.

Put another way, around 1 in 7 thousand people are employed as Physicists.

Job description

Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.

SOC Code: 19-2012.00

Resources

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Comments

Leave a comment

Bimsara Bodaragama (No chance) says
It's more about intuition and innovativeness. Of course, we will use more tools, but with Physics, since we interpret as we observe (there is a little problem with that conclusion, though), AI may not be able to take it over.
Mar 29, 2022 at 06:37 PM
Wesley I (No chance) says
I believe that it will be possible but not for a very long time, the process of positing new questions and then solving them is rather complex and I'm guessing that it will be at least 100 years before the jobs of theoretical physicists start to become threatened.
Aug 30, 2021 at 01:48 PM
just bored (No chance) says
Even though computers may get more intelligent than us humans, there is still a very small chance because computers don't have the basic questioning ability which we humans have
Jun 23, 2021 at 08:02 AM
Rowan (Could go either way) says
The development of AI is rapidly improving, AI maybe 10 years in the future being able to predict or understand the universe better through random generation or pure knowledge is very probable. However I doubt they will replace Physicists in the near decade it should be very increasingly possible.
Mar 23, 2021 at 03:36 PM
rafel says
We are users of AI to improve some calculations and we need robots and AI for experimental precision and performance. Until the singularity, we will be in charge.
Mar 18, 2021 at 08:36 PM
Pinaki Patra says
A huge section of theoretical physicists do algorithm based research, which can easily be replaced by automation.
However, Philosophy based theoretical research is difficult to be replaced.
Feb 08, 2021 at 07:08 PM
Physics Boi (Small chance) says
Doubt it, anyway we need physicists to understand what the AI is discovering anyway
Jan 06, 2021 at 08:16 AM
Anonymous (No chance) says
It is scientifically proven that the human brain is MUCH more complicated than any AI, and it is very hard for AI to ask a question and solve it on their own, so I think AI stands no chance on taking over the complex job of science.
Dec 28, 2020 at 01:45 PM
Tom (No chance) says
Whilst experimental physics can be automated, I doubt theoretical physics will be automated
Aug 07, 2020 at 12:20 PM
Mark (No chance) says
Most physicists I know are already good with experimental automation and AI and there's still plenty of work for everyone.
Jul 20, 2020 at 04:55 PM
Nine says
Scientific discovery can be easily automated. It has a rather rigorous process. And if not, then the computer can use randomness like humans do.
Feb 26, 2020 at 10:24 PM
No Nine says
Computers use "seeds" as a way to "randomize" events. As soon as the seed is known, randomness is no more useful. The randomness of computers is limited, is false.
Jan 18, 2021 at 03:39 AM
Me (Small chance) says
Too chaotic
Dec 07, 2019 at 01:08 AM
Physics boy says
10% really??
Nov 11, 2019 at 08:47 AM
Anthony says
It’s comparatively still very low, so don’t worry about it lol.
Aug 28, 2020 at 05:30 AM
Furkan (No chance) says
artificial intelligence can not be a physicist because it takes more than imitation to ask a new question to understand the universe
Sep 23, 2019 at 03:04 PM
Charlotte Bellanie (No chance) says
It’s a job that simply can’t be replaced, robots don’t have feelings, it would feel as though you were talking to a wall.
Sep 19, 2019 at 06:02 AM
Giorno (No chance) says
There is no way scientific discovery can be automated
Jul 25, 2019 at 04:54 AM
Gabriel says
Not really. AIs understand patterns better than we do. Also being faster than we are.
Apr 28, 2020 at 01:49 PM
NameLess says
When Albert Einstein conceived General Relativity, he did not do so using standards. This, one of the most important theories of physics (if not the most), was largely generated by mixing from your knowledge with your imagination. Robots would never do anything as beautiful as Relativity, Quantum Strings, Singularity, etc.
Feb 17, 2021 at 10:46 PM
Faisal Ali says
I might not really agree because the work of Physicist is too complicated & AI will not replace any theoretical scientists at all.
Apr 29, 2020 at 11:02 PM
Johann says
Probably means automating certain procedures in experiments, or using simulations to define and test experimental laws, hypotheses, etc.
Aug 06, 2020 at 07:38 PM

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