Precision Agriculture Technicians
Machines can already do 43% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 72%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Precision Agriculture Technicians in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 43% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 1% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2029, and 72% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 15,130 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $49,630 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 77% for contact with people.
- Also called: Agrintelligence Specialist (Agriculture Intelligence Specialist), Agronomist, Agronomy Consultant, Crop Consultant.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install, calibrate, or maintain sensors, mechanical controls, GPS-based vehicle guidance systems, or computer settings | 12% | 3% to 30% | |
| Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS) | 11% | 45% to 85% | |
| Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information | 9% | 70% to 95% | |
| Create, layer, and analyze maps showing precision agricultural data, such as crop yields, soil characteristics, input applications, terrain, drainage patterns, or field management history | 9% | 35% to 65% | |
| Use geospatial technology to develop soil sampling grids or identify sampling sites for testing characteristics such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium content, pH, or micronutrients | 5% | 60% to 90% | |
| Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials | 5% | 60% to 90% | |
| Compare crop yield maps with maps of soil test data, chemical application patterns, or other information to develop site-specific crop management plans | 5% | 55% to 85% | |
| Analyze geospatial data to determine agricultural implications of factors such as soil quality, terrain, field productivity, fertilizers, or weather conditions | 5% | 60% to 90% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills precision agriculture technicians use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Photonics Technicians63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $78,350
- Automotive Engineering Technicians63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $74,510
- Lighting Technicians52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $68,060
- Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians41% of tasks by 2035 · US median $56,550
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Precision Agriculture Technicians?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2029. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of precision agriculture technicians?
Machines can do 43% of the tasks of precision agriculture technicians today and 72% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 19-4012.01 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Precision Agriculture Technicians: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/precision-agriculture-technicians/