Is Data Science Still a Job?

The field of data science has evolved dramatically since it was first heralded as "the sexiest job of the 21st century." As artificial intelligence capabilities accelerate and organizational data strategies mature, this panel examines whether data science remains a distinct profession or is being absorbed into broader engineering, analytics, and AI roles. Our panelists—spanning industry leadership, technical operations, and academia—will explore how the role has transformed from experimental model-building to production-scale systems engineering and strategic AI implementation. Key discussions will address the impact of automated machine learning tools and large language models on traditional data science work, whether organizations still need dedicated data science teams, the blurring boundaries between data science and AI engineering roles, and what skills are essential for the next generation of data professionals. This provocative conversation offers candid insights for practicing data scientists questioning their career trajectory, hiring managers restructuring data organizations, and students considering the field, providing essential perspectives on positioning yourself for success in a landscape where the definitions and expectations of data science continue to evolve rapidly.