Will AI replace Physics Teachers, Postsecondary?
AI can do 81% of the work Physics Teachers, Postsecondary do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 10 of their 24 tasks, while 7 more are ready but barely used so far. 7 still need a person.
AI is already doing this10 · 57% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as quantum mechanics, particle physics, and optics.Mostly automated18% of time
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.Mostly automated14% of time
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.Mostly automated8% of time
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.Mostly assisted5% of time
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.Mostly automated4% of time
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.Mostly automated3% of time
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.Mostly automated3% of time
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.Mostly automated1% of time
- Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.Mostly assisted1% of time
- Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.Mostly automatedunder 1% of time
AI could do this next7 · 24% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.6% of time
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.5% of time
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.4% of time
- Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.3% of time
- Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.3% of time
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.2% of time
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.1% of time
Still needs a person7 · 19% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.6% of time
- Supervise students' laboratory work.4% of time
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.3% of time
- Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.3% of time
- Act as advisers to student organizations.1% of time
- Participate in campus and community events.1% of time
- Maintain and repair laboratory equipment.1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can already do almost all of this work at least twice as fast. People in this job already use it heavily. Expect the role to shift toward deciding what to do, checking AI's work and owning the result.
What to do next
- Do the 10 tasks AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
- Get ahead on the 7 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Build on the 7 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Related jobs
Get the weekly brief
One short email a week on how AI is changing work, including jobs like this one.