Will AI replace operations research analysts?

Some tasks are already handled by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 2h 44m of an 8-hour shift goes to tasks that AI or robots largely take over. The breakdown: 29m done by people with AI help, 2h 44m that AI mostly does alone. The other 4h 47m (60%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 11.9% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 6 of 17 tasks, about 3h 13m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters. (59m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Prepare management reports defining and evaluating problems and recommending solutions. (41m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes. (35m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Analyze information obtained from management to conceptualize and define operational problems. (23m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Develop business methods and procedures, including accounting systems, file systems, office systems, logistics systems, and production schedules. (6m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

4h 47m of a typical shift, or 60%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Define data requirements, and gather and validate information, applying judgment and statistical tests. (1h 10m a shift)
• Perform validation and testing of models to ensure adequacy, and reformulate models, as necessary. (47m a shift)
• Collaborate with others in the organization to ensure successful implementation of chosen problem solutions. (35m a shift)
• Observe the current system in operation, and gather and analyze information about each of the component problems, using a variety of sources. (35m a shift)
• Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users. (29m a shift)

For the 5 tasks in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 8h 13m for a person alone and about 1h with AI. These are Claude's own estimates from real conversations in April and May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index). They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. The biggest gaps:

• Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters (about 10h 40m alone, 1h with AI)
• Develop business methods and procedures, including accounting systems, file systems, office systems, logistics systems, and production schedules (about 9h 5m alone, 1h 5m with AI)
• Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes (about 8h 13m alone, 1h 3m with AI)

On Indeed, job postings in the Data & Analytics sector are at 64% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 8.7% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 7,500 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $88,940 a year ($42.76 an hour), 74% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $57,060 and $159,910 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 11.9% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 127,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 7,500 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 109,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.07% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 261st largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 127,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a master's degree: about 43% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 5 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: graduate degree. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Mathematics, Operations Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Systems Analysis
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 4h 47m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Tableau, Structured query language SQL, Salesforce software, Python, Microsoft PowerPoint
• Learn to use AI well on the tasks where it already shows up in this job (listed above)

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Statisticians (2h 34m touched, $106k median pay)
• Actuaries (41m touched, $130k median pay)
• Biostatisticians (1h 27m touched, $106k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 6 observed in real AI use, 11 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.