Will AI replace Surveying and Mapping Technicians?

No exposure score can predict whether AI will replace this role. The 69/100 score means our current model estimates high task exposure from the sources listed on this page. It does not predict an employer decision, headcount, or an individual outcome. The task map below shows the work assessed and where human judgment remains important.

Early-career context (study ages 22-25)

This role's High score and automation-heavy task mix point in the same direction as the study's highest-exposure automation cohort. The measures are not identical, so the study result is context rather than a direct forecast for this role.

The November 2025 revision reports a 16% relative employment decline for workers ages 22-25 in the most AI-exposed U.S. occupations, after firm-level controls, relative to workers in less-exposed fields and more experienced workers in the same occupations.

Use the task map to identify durable work and the skills worth building early.

Stanford Digital Economy Lab, Canaries in the Coal Mine - November 2025 revision

This is group-level U.S. payroll evidence, not a personal forecast. The authors do not claim that AI alone caused the change, and this context does not alter the exposure score.

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Role snapshot

What this role usually involves

O*NET 29.1 exact occupation

Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps.

Common titles

Mapping TechnicianPhotogrammetric Compilation SpecialistPhotogrammetric TechnicianSurvey TechnicianAerotriangulation SpecialistGeospatial Analyst

O*NET job-zone preparation

Job Zone 3 · Medium Preparation Needed Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.

Broad guidance for this preparation level; exact requirements vary by role and employer.

Skills and knowledge

Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMathematicsWritingComplex Problem SolvingMonitoring

Work context

Decision latitudeFrequent contact with othersIndoor controlled settingRepeating tasks

Source: O*NET 29.1 exact occupation - Surveying and Mapping Technicians, SOC 17-3031.00. Context describes the role; the AI-exposure score remains a separate task-exposure estimate.

Surveying and Mapping Technicians tasks, by AI exposure

We analyzed all 20 Surveying and Mapping Technicians tasks - 17 automatable and 3 augmentable. The full task map - every task with exactly what to do about each - is in your Career Report.

Adjacent career paths

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