Will AI replace cartographers? The data

Cartographers and photogrammetrists collect and analyze spatial data from surveys, satellite images and other sources, and turn it into maps, charts and visualizations. They work with GIS, CAD and lidar data. Much of the job already runs on software, so AI tools fit into an established digital workflow. Judging what a map should show, and whether the data behind it is right, stays with people.

The short answer: moderate exposure, with growth projected. The ILO's 2025 index places cartographers and surveyors in gradient 2 with a score of 0.44. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7 percent growth for cartographers and photogrammetrists from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 900 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.

How exposed cartographers are

The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).

The ILO puts cartographers in one group with surveyors, so the score covers both.

What the BLS projects

The BLS ties growth to the use of maps for government planning, and says these workers will be needed to map and locate areas that need help during natural disasters, often using GIS.

Where AI is helping

• Drafting first versions of map layers from imagery for a person to review.
• Sorting and labeling large sets of image and lidar data.
• Writing short descriptions and summaries of map data.

What stays with cartographers

• Data quality: knowing where the data came from, how accurate it is and what is missing.
• Design choices: deciding what a map shows, at what scale, and for whom.
• Working with clients: planners, emergency teams and agencies that rely on the maps.
• Checking AI help: generated features and labels can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.

How the job is changing

Mapping already depends on GIS and remote sensing, and demand from planning and disaster response supports the field. Cartographers who can check automated output and explain data limits are better placed. This page is general information, not career advice.

See also will AI replace surveyors?, will AI replace geographers? and will AI replace urban planners?

Pay and how to get in

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for cartographers and photogrammetrists at $81,390 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: bachelor's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.