What the 2021 State of Data Science Reveals About Python, Automation, and Open Source

1. Role of Data Science in Business Decisions

Amid the ongoing COVID‑19 pandemic, investment in data science is perceived to have changed: 26% of respondents report increased investment, 24% say it remained flat, and 37% note a decline.

When asked how data analysis influences business decisions, 14% indicated that all decisions depend on data analysis or its team’s recommendations, while 39% said many decisions rely on prior data analysis. The report suggests that despite occasional exclusion of data scientists from business activities, their value is increasingly recognized, helping to prevent a sharp drop in investment.

2. Popularity of Python

According to the survey, 63% of respondents frequently use Python, making it the most popular programming language in the study. Additionally, 71% of educators teach Python, and 88% of students report learning Python while preparing for a career in data science. Python is thus becoming increasingly favored among data scientists, researchers, students, and professionals worldwide.

Anaconda’s report on current programming language usage ranks Python first, followed by SQL, R, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Java, Bash/Shell, C/C++, TypeScript, PHP, Rust, Julia, and Go.

3. Impact of Automation on Data Science

Recent news reports suggest automation is gradually replacing manual tasks. Survey results show that automation is welcomed in data science, not as a competitor but as a complementary tool for practitioners.

When asked about automation tools in data science, 55% of respondents expressed a desire to see more automation tools, while only 4% were concerned about how automation might affect the field.

4. Corporate Attitudes Toward Open Source

The report also asks whether companies are willing to let data‑science professionals contribute to open‑source projects. While contributing to open‑source libraries such as Pandas or NumPy can boost innovation and save time and resources, 65% of respondents say their companies are funding open‑source contributions. However, 21% indicate that, due to COVID‑19 or other factors, corporate funding for open source has slightly decreased.

Source: "State of Data Science 2021" – https://www.anaconda.com/state-of-data-science-2021