Automation index

How much of a Data engineer’s job can AI already do?

A pipeline and a diagram sketch. Keeping it up at 3 a.m., with PII and a four-hour job, does not.

This percentage does not predict how many people will lose their jobs.

Task comparison

IS WORK OVER?

31%

AI can already do 31% of this job.

#36 / 623

Data engineer

Task weights are our estimates based on O*NET frequency data, not time shares published by O*NET.

The time saving for each task is estimated separately.

Task	Share	AI	Points
Design pipelines, models and orchestration. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	24%	50%	+12
Write SQL, Spark and data tests. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	18%	45%	+8.1
Incidents, quality and lineage in production. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	16%	22%	+3.5
Talk to analysts and negotiate data contracts. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	16%	18%	+2.9
Cloud cost, permissions and PII. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	14%	15%	+2.1
Decide architecture and technical debt. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	12%	20%	+2.4
Total	100%		31%

Modelled workweek: 100% · Public evidence: 0% · Estimate: 100% · Confidence: Low

IS WORK OVER?

31%

#32 / 623

Copy editor

Task weights are our estimates based on O*NET frequency data, not time shares published by O*NET.

The time saving for each task is estimated separately.

Task	Share	AI	Points
Spelling, agreement and consistency. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	18%	52%	+9.4
Style, repetition and sentence rhythm. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	16%	48%	+7.7
Queries to the author, grey areas and the house style. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	16%	28%	+4.5
Second proofs, PDF and last-minute typos. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	18%	22%	+4
Deadlines with publisher, layout and translation. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	16%	18%	+2.9
Judgement, not over-rewriting, and the typo that remains. Estimate No public source provides a precise figure. This is our estimate.	16%	14%	+2.2
Total	100%		31%

Modelled workweek: 100% · Public evidence: 0% · Estimate: 100% · Confidence: Low