Biochemists
Official O*NET title: Biochemists and Biophysicists (19-1021.00)
Also called: analytical research chemist, biochemist, biophysics researcher, scientist
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomes
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing biochemists work
9 of 20 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Amber (some AI use) — 45%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomes (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Research the chemical effects of substances (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Study the mutations in organisms that lead to cancer or other diseases (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Research how characteristics of plants or animals are carried through successive generations (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Design or build laboratory equipment needed for special research projects (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Study the chemistry of living processes (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Design or perform experiments with equipment (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Study spatial configurations of submicroscopic molecules (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Research transformations of substances in cells, using atomic isotopes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop or execute tests to detect diseases, genetic disorders, or other abnormalities (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop or test new drugs or medications intended for commercial distribution (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Isolate, analyze, or synthesize vitamins, hormones, allergens, minerals, or enzymes and determine their effects on body functions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Examine the molecular or chemical aspects of immune system functioning (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Investigate the nature, composition, or expression of genes or research how genetic engineering can impact these processes — some recorded AI use
- Prepare pharmaceutical compounds for commercial distribution — no recorded AI use
- Develop methods to process, store, or use foods, drugs, or chemical compounds — no recorded AI use
- Produce pharmaceutically or industrially useful proteins, using recombinant DNA technology — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomes”. Try the prompt for: “Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and biochemists
Will AI replace biochemists?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 9 of the 20 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Amber rating (some AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 14 of the 24 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which biochemist tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomes; teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research; research the chemical effects of substances.
Which biochemist tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work; develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes; write grant proposals to obtain funding for research. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 81% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a biochemist start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Biochemists ranks #151 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #16 of 45 in Science & Research.
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