Calculate geographic positions from survey data.

Calculate geographic positions from survey data. is a detailed work activity in O*NET — a concrete unit of work shared across 3 occupations and seen in 10 occupation-specific tasks. It rolls up into the broader work activity Assess characteristics of land or property. in Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information .

Detailed work activities are the most granular shared layer in O*NET's work-activity hierarchy (Generalized → Intermediate → Detailed → occupation-specific task). The figures below describe how this activity shows up across the economy and what independent studies measure about AI and this kind of work — not a prediction that the work will be automated.

AI exposure

Of the 10 tasks under this activity that the OpenAI / Eloundou “GPTs are GPTs” study rated, 7 (70%) are flagged as directly exposed to language models (E1) or exposed via model-powered tools (E2).

Exposure estimates overlap with model capabilities — whether a model could speed the task up — not whether the work will be done by software. Observed AI use is augmentation and assistance today, not jobs replaced.

Member tasks

Occupation-specific tasks O*NET maps to this detailed work activity, most important first.

• Calculate the exact horizontal and vertical position of points on the Earth's surface. · Geodetic Surveyors · importance 4.5 · no direct exposure
• Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain. · Surveyors · importance 4.3 · exposure with tools
• Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features. · Surveyors · importance 4.3 · exposure with tools
• Compute horizontal and vertical coordinates of control networks, using direct leveling or other geodetic survey techniques, such as triangulation, trilateration, and traversing, to establish features of the Earth's surface. · Geodetic Surveyors · importance 4.3 · no direct exposure
• Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas, using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS). · Surveyors · importance 4.2 · no direct exposure
• Identify, scale, and orient geodetic points, elevations, and other planimetric or topographic features, applying standard mathematical formulas. · Cartographers and Photogrammetrists · importance 4.1 · exposure with tools
• Compute, retrace, or adjust existing surveys of features such as highway alignments, property boundaries, utilities, control and other surveys to match the ground elevation-dependent grids, geodetic grids, or property boundaries and to ensure accuracy and continuity of data used in engineering, surveying, or construction projects. · Geodetic Surveyors · importance 3.7 · exposure with tools
• Calculate latitudes, longitudes, angles, areas, or other information for mapmaking, using survey field notes or reference tables. · Surveying and Mapping Technicians · importance 3.7 · direct LLM exposure
• Compare topographical features or contour lines with images from aerial photographs, old maps, or other reference materials to verify the accuracy of their identification. · Surveying and Mapping Technicians · importance 3.7 · exposure with tools
• Perform calculations to determine earth curvature corrections, atmospheric impacts on measurements, traverse closures or adjustments, azimuths, level runs, or placement of markers. · Surveying and Mapping Technicians · direct LLM exposure

Occupations that perform this

• Geodetic Surveyors
• Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
• Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-calculate-geographic-positions-from-survey-data,
  title  = {Calculate geographic positions from survey data.},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/detailed-activities/calculate-geographic-positions-from-survey-data}
}