Will AI replace Database Administrators?
AI reaches most of this job’s work.
57/100
Very high exposure
More exposed to AI than 88% of US workers.
- AI already used in
- 32% of the work
- As AI tools mature: up to
- 88% of the work
What the job involves
Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.
Where AI reaches the work
The job’s main tasks, heaviest first, by how far AI reaches them.
Already happening(6)
- Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes.
- Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
- Provide technical support to junior staff or clients.
- Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
- Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
and 1 more
Within reach(11)
- Test changes to database applications or systems.
- Plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure.
- Train users and answer questions.
- Write and code logical and physical database descriptions and specify identifiers of database to management system, or direct others in coding descriptions.
- Develop standards and guidelines for the use and acquisition of software and to protect vulnerable information.
and 6 more
Out of reach(1)
- Approve, schedule, plan, and supervise the installation and testing of new products and improvements to computer systems, such as the installation of new databases.
Also called
Database Administrator (DBA) · DBA · Database Administration Manager · Database Coordinator · Database Manager · IS Admin (Information Systems Administrator) · Automatic Data Processing Planner (ADP Planner) · ADP Planner
Related jobs
What these numbers mean
The score is the share of this job’s work, weighted by how important and frequent each task is, that AI could do in half the time: tasks an AI model could do alone count in full, tasks that need software built on AI count half.
“AI already used” is the share of the work in tasks where people are recorded using AI today. “As AI tools mature” counts every task AI could halve, with or without extra software.
The percentile compares the score with every job’s, weighted by how many people in the US do each one. Exposure means AI could change how the work is done, not that the job goes away. These are estimates for the typical job, not predictions.
Sources
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
- GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs (task labels), Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), OpenAI and University of Pennsylvania
- Anthropic Economic Index: labor market impacts (task penetration), Anthropic
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national and metropolitan areas), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics