Political scientists study how political systems work: they collect and analyze survey and other data, evaluate the effects of policies and follow current events to forecast trends. Generative AI can summarize legislation, code open-ended survey answers and draft briefings, which overlaps with parts of that work. Designing sound research and standing behind a conclusion stay with the analyst.
The short answer: AI speeds up the reading and first-pass analysis, and the job is small and slightly shrinking for reasons the BLS does not tie to AI. The ILO's 2025 index rates philosophers, historians and political scientists at gradient 2 with a score of 0.47. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 2 percent decline for political scientists from 2025 to 2035, with about 400 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed political scientists 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).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophers, Historians and Political Scientists | Gradient 2 | 0.47 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Political scientists | Decline 2% | About 400 |
The BLS projects employment to go from 6,100 jobs in 2025 to 6,000 in 2035, a change of about 100 jobs. Despite the decline, openings come from replacing workers who leave. Its outlook does not mention AI.
Where AI is helping
- Summarizing bills, rulings and long policy documents.
- Coding open-ended survey responses.
- Searching news and published research.
- Drafting briefings and reports.
What stays with political scientists
- Research design: surveys and studies that measure what they claim to.
- Judgment: weighing evidence on contested questions and saying how sure the findings are.
- Accountability: putting their name to analysis that informs policy.
- Checking AI help: summaries of laws and research can be wrong or invent sources, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Data and survey skills already matter in the field, and checking machine summaries against the original documents is becoming part of the routine. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace historians?, will AI replace economists? and will AI replace urban planners?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for political scientists at $142,080 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: master's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace political scientists?
Not on current data. The ILO puts them in gradient 2, and the BLS projects a small 2 percent decline from 2025 to 2035 without naming AI as the cause.
How many political scientists are there?
The BLS counts about 6,100 jobs in 2025, projected to be about 6,000 in 2035.
How many openings are expected?
About 400 a year on average over the decade, according to the BLS.
What can AI do for policy research?
Summarizing documents, coding survey answers and drafting. Research design and conclusions stay with the analyst.