Will AI replace economists?

Part of the work, not the whole job. AI could take on about 48% of the working time in a typical economist job today. The other 52% still needs a person.

52% of the work still needs a person.

Needs a person: 52%A person checking AI: 21%AI alone: 27%

The bracket under the bar is the evidence range for the share AI could take on: 38 to 48%. One end comes from how well AI did each responsibility in real use, or a second rating where that isn't measured. The other is our figure, which also follows research across the industry.

14 responsibilities in a typical economist job. Median pay $124,720 a year in the U.S. (BLS, May 2025).

Still needs a person

  • Supervise research and student projects
  • Teach economics theory and methods
  • Support litigation as an expert witness
  • Testify before lawmakers on policy effects

AI can do or help with

  • Study economic data in your field AI helps
  • Analyze data and forecast trends AI helps
  • Review documents written by others AI helps
  • Advise businesses on economic issues AI helps
  • Recommend policies to fix economic problems AI helps
  • Study effects of new public policy AI helps

The biggest responsibilities of each kind. "AI helps" means AI takes on part of the work, or most of it with a person checking what it produces. See all 14, with the reason for each and the cost of handing them to AI.

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Questions people ask

Will AI replace economists?

Part of the work, not the whole job. AI could take on about 48% of the working time in a typical economist job today. The other 52% still needs a person. That is a split of the work, not a forecast of jobs lost.

Which parts of the job can AI do?

The biggest ones AI can do or help with: study economic data in your field, analyze data and forecast trends, review documents written by others, advise businesses on economic issues, recommend policies to fix economic problems, study effects of new public policy.

Which parts still need a person?

The biggest ones: supervise research and student projects, teach economics theory and methods, support litigation as an expert witness, testify before lawmakers on policy effects.

How is this measured?

The U.S. Department of Labor lists 14 responsibilities for this job (O*NET 31.0). Each is scored on 4 questions: can AI do it, does it get it right, must a person sign for it, and do people need to deal with a real person. The split is weighted by how much of the job each responsibility takes up. The evidence range for the share AI could take on is 38 to 48%. One end comes from how well AI did each responsibility in real use, or a second rating where that isn't measured. The other is our figure, which also follows research across the industry. Scores version 0.7.3, updated October 12, 2026.

Responsibilities from O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor). Pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025. Scores are calibrated to published research and updated every month. How it works.

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