Assist scientists, technologists, or related professionals in building, maintaining, modifying, or using geographic information systems (GIS) databases. May also perform some custom application development or provide user support.
19 of 19 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Design or prepare graphic representations of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, using GIS hardware or software applications.
AI: Fully automatable - Modern AI and automation tools can produce high-quality GIS graphic outputs, including map layouts, symbology, and exports, end-to-end using GIS software.
Analyze Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data to identify spatial relationships or display results of analyses, using maps, graphs, or tabular data.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can run spatial analyses, detect spatial relationships, and produce maps, graphs, or tables automatically given data and queries in most routine cases.
Select cartographic elements needed for effective presentation of information.
AI: Fully automatable - AI-driven cartography tools can automatically select appropriate symbols, scales, labeling, and layout elements for effective presentation based on data and intended audience.
Transfer or rescale information from original photographs onto maps or other photographs.
AI: Fully automatable - Georeferencing and rescaling (image-to-map transformations) are well-established algorithmic tasks that current tools and AI can perform fully and reproducibly.
Participate in projects that map changes in carbon emissions levels across different geographic locations, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data.
AI: Fully automatable - Mapping spatial changes in carbon emissions using GIS layers, remote-sensing inputs, and temporal analysis is a tractable, automatable task with current data-processing and modeling tools.
Analyze Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data for use in urban planning applications that promote better land use or reduce environmental impacts of development.
AI: Fully automatable - AI and GIS toolchains can perform the multi-criteria analyses, simulations, and scenario modeling needed for urban-planning-focused land-use and environmental-impact analysis end-to-end.
Apply Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data in transportation routing settings to determine the best routing to reduce pollution or energy consumption.
AI: Fully automatable - Routing and emissions-optimization using GIS, traffic models, and energy-consumption estimators can be automated to produce routing solutions that reduce pollution and energy use.
Analyze Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data to determine the best locations for renewable energy sites, including solar or wind energy installations.
AI: Fully automatable - Site-suitability analyses for solar and wind using layered GIS data and optimization criteria are routine and can be fully automated with current models and data-processing pipelines.
Maintain or modify existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases.
AI: Partial - Automation can handle many database maintenance and modification tasks (ETL, indexing, routine schema changes), but operational context, access control, and complex migrations require human oversight.
Enter data into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases, using techniques such as coordinate geometry, keyboard entry of tabular data, manual digitizing of maps, scanning or automatic conversion to vectors, or conversion of other sources of digital data.
AI: Partial - AI and computer vision can convert scanned maps, perform coordinate transforms, and automate bulk entry, but manual digitizing and resolving ambiguous records still need human intervention.
Review existing or incoming data for currency, accuracy, usefulness, quality, or completeness of documentation.
AI: Partial - Automated QA tools and AI can check currency, format, and flag anomalies in data, but assessing usefulness and documentation completeness involves subjective judgment best done by humans.
Perform geospatial data building, modeling, or analysis, using advanced spatial analysis, data manipulation, or cartography software.
AI: Partial - AI can perform advanced spatial modeling and data manipulation using existing libraries and software, yet developing, validating, and interpreting complex models typically requires expert human involvement.
Design or coordinate the development of integrated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial or non-spatial databases.
AI: Partial - AI can propose schemas, integration mappings, and generate implementation code, but coordinating stakeholders, eliciting requirements, and overseeing system integration remain human-centric activities.
Provide technical support to users or clients regarding the maintenance, development, or operation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases, equipment, or applications.
AI: Partial - AI can provide automated technical support, diagnostics, and step-by-step guidance for many GIS issues, but complex troubleshooting, privileged operations, or on-site equipment tasks require human technicians.
Interpret aerial or ortho photographs.
AI: Partial - AI can automatically detect and classify many features in aerial/orthophotos with high accuracy, but nuanced expert interpretation and contextual judgment still require human oversight.
Confer with users to analyze, configure, or troubleshoot applications.
AI: Partial - AI-driven support agents can analyze, configure, and troubleshoot many application issues and interact with users, yet complex, novel, or high-stakes troubleshooting and relationship-building still require human technicians.
Read current literature, talk with colleagues, continue education, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, equipment, or systems.
AI: Partial - AI can continuously ingest, summarize, and surface relevant literature and events and support virtual knowledge-sharing, but it cannot fully replace in-person networking, mentorship, and some forms of professional participation.
Recommend procedures or equipment or software upgrades to increase data accessibility or ease of use.
AI: Partial - AI can analyze systems and datasets and generate tailored recommendations for procedures, equipment, or software, but final choices must account for organizational constraints, procurement, and stakeholder preferences that typically need human decision-making.
Confer with biologists or other researchers in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data to define wildlife areas or corridors for land use planning.
AI: Partial - AI can generate habitat models, corridor proposals, and data visualizations to support biologist collaboration, but interdisciplinary negotiation and ecological expertise still need human mediation.