Computer systems analysts study an organization's computer systems and design ways to make them work better, sitting between the business and the IT team. Generative AI can draft requirements, map processes and write test cases. Understanding what the business really needs, and getting people to agree on it, is still the analyst's job.
The short answer: AI helps with the documents, and AI projects create more systems work. The ILO's 2025 index rates systems analysts at gradient 2 with a score of 0.49. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8 percent growth for computer systems analysts from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 32,900 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed systems analysts 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Analysts | Gradient 2 | 0.49 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer systems analysts | Grow 8% | About 32,900 |
The BLS says that as organizations continue to rely on and expand information technology, including artificial intelligence, systems analysts will be hired to design and install new systems. It adds that small firms with minimal IT needs may contract the work out instead of hiring analysts directly.
Where AI is helping
- Drafting requirements and user stories.
- Mapping current processes from documents and interviews.
- Writing test cases and data queries.
- Summarizing vendor options.
What stays with systems analysts
- Finding the real need: what users actually do, not what a document says.
- Agreement: getting business and IT to sign off on one plan.
- Fit: judging whether a system, including an AI tool, suits the organization.
- Checking AI help: generated requirements and queries can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Analysts increasingly evaluate and introduce AI tools themselves, which adds work in testing, data quality and change management. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace data analysts?, will AI replace project managers? and will AI replace software engineers?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for computer systems analysts at $105,850 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.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace systems analysts?
Not on current projections. The BLS projects 8 percent growth from 2025 to 2035 as organizations expand IT, including AI.
How exposed are systems analysts to AI?
The ILO rates systems analysts at gradient 2 with a score of 0.49.
How many openings are expected?
About 32,900 a year on average over the decade, according to the BLS.
Where might fewer analysts be hired?
The BLS says small firms with minimal IT needs may contract the work out instead.