Economists

Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.

AI: Fully automatable - By 2025 AI systems integrated with data tools can ingest, clean, run statistical analyses and produce interpretable summaries and visualizations for specialized economic datasets, given adequate data and oversight.

Compile, analyze, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast market trends, applying mathematical models and statistical techniques.

AI: Fully automatable - AI can compile, apply mathematical/statistical models, generate forecasts and produce reports at scale, though humans remain needed for model selection and high‑stakes validation.

Forecast production and consumption of renewable resources and supply, consumption, and depletion of non-renewable resources.

AI: Fully automatable - AI can ingest environmental and production data, run resource supply/demand models, and produce forecasts for renewable and non‑renewable resources with high automation when data are available.

Teach theories, principles, and methods of economics.

AI: Partial - By 2025 AI tutors can teach economic theories, methods, and assessments effectively, but full teaching responsibilities including mentorship, accreditation, and nuanced pedagogical decisions remain partly human-driven.

Conduct research on economic issues and disseminate research findings through technical reports or scientific articles in journals.

AI: Partial - AI can perform literature reviews, run analyses and draft technical reports or articles, but original research novelty, methodological judgment, and peer‑review credibility still require human researchers.

Study the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies, such as proposed legislation, taxes, services, and regulations.

AI: Partial - AI can model and estimate socioeconomic impacts and synthesize evidence, but robust causal inference, contextual interpretation and normative trade‑offs need human policy expertise.

Supervise research projects and students' study projects.

AI: Partial - AI can assist heavily with project management, feedback, and technical guidance, but cannot fully replace human mentorship, ethical oversight, and career development responsibilities.

Formulate recommendations, policies, or plans to solve economic problems or to interpret markets.

AI: Partial - AI can generate policy recommendations and scenario analyses from data and models, but final policy formulation requires human judgment about values, politics, and implementation constraints.

Develop economic guidelines and standards and prepare points of view used in forecasting trends and formulating economic policy.

AI: Partial - AI can draft guidelines, standards, and forecasting viewpoints based on quantitative inputs, but establishing authoritative standards and consensus still depends on human institutions and expertise.

Provide advice and consultation on economic relationships to businesses, public and private agencies, and other employers.

AI: Partial - AI can provide tailored analyses and advisory materials to organizations, yet trusted consultative relationships, accountability, and negotiation require human consultants.

Testify at regulatory or legislative hearings concerning the estimated effects of changes in legislation or public policy and present recommendations based on cost-benefit analyses.

AI: Partial - AI can prepare cost‑benefit analyses and testimony drafts, but cannot fully substitute for a human expert’s legal credibility, ethical responsibility, and in‑person testimony roles.

Provide litigation support, such as writing reports for expert testimony or testifying as an expert witness.

AI: Partial - As of 2025 AI can draft detailed expert reports and supporting analyses but cannot serve reliably as a human expert witness or withstand cross-examination and legal credentialing.