AI Automation Risk by Industry: 30 Sectors Ranked
Industries ranked by AI automation exposure, highest-risk roles, and safer alternatives.
| Industry | Average risk | Highest-risk roles | Safer roles |
|---|
| Administrative | 79% | Data Entry Clerk, Filing Clerk, Administrative Assistant | Office Manager, Grant Writer, Executive Assistant |
| Agriculture | 44% | Grain Elevator Operator, Farm Laborer, Agricultural Inspector | Commercial Fisherman, Livestock Farmer, Dairy Farm Manager |
| Creative | 30% | Video Editor, Content Creator, Animator | Luthier, Pyrotechnician, Taxidermist |
| Design | 43% | Graphic Designer, UI Designer, Motion Designer | Art Director, Urban Planner, Industrial Designer |
| Education | 40% | Curriculum Developer, Instructional Designer, University Administrator | Sports Coach, Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten Teacher |
| Engineering | 42% | Quality Assurance Inspector, Civil Engineering Technician, Process Engineer | Civil Engineer, Flight Engineer, Mechanical Engineer |
| Finance | 68% | Bookkeeper, Tax Preparer, Bank Teller | Venture Capitalist, Chief Financial Officer, Economist (Corporate) |
| Food Service | 35% | Fast Food Cook, Food Inspector, Restaurant Manager | Sommelier (Master), Winemaker, Chef |
| Government | 55% | Government Clerk, Census Worker, Municipal Court Clerk | City Planner, Building Inspector, Public Health Officer |
| Health & Wellness | 24% | Nutritionist, Fitness Trainer, Personal Trainer | Massage Therapist, Acupuncturist, Hair Stylist |
| Healthcare | 28% | Medical Transcriptionist, Medical Billing Specialist, Pharmacist Technician | Doula, Hospice Worker, Dentist |
| Human Resources | 57% | Payroll Coordinator, Recruiter, Compensation Analyst | Organizational Development Consultant, Employee Relations Specialist, HR Manager |
| Language | 53% | Transcriptionist, Subtitler, Translator | Sign Language Interpreter, Medical Interpreter, Language Teacher |
| Legal | 46% | Court Reporter, Legal Secretary, Notary Public | Bailiff, Arbitrator, Judge |
| Logistics | 62% | Warehouse Worker, Freight Forwarder, Dispatcher | Mover, Supply Chain Manager, Postal Worker |
| Management | 34% | Project Manager, Logistics Manager, Event Planner | Executive / CEO, Diplomat, Nonprofit Director |
| Manufacturing | 63% | Inventory Clerk, Assembly Line Worker, Textile Worker | Industrial Robot Technician, Safety Compliance Officer, Production Supervisor |
| Marketing | 62% | Copywriter, PPC Specialist, Digital Marketing Manager | Chief Marketing Officer, Brand Manager, Content Strategist |
| Media | 53% | Copy Editor, Sports Journalist, Journalist | Social Media Influencer, News Anchor, Podcast Host |
| Military | 42% | Military Logistics Coordinator, Military Recruiter, Military Intelligence Analyst | Military Officer, Naval Officer, Cybersecurity Specialist (Military) |
| Public Safety | 28% | Intelligence Analyst, Private Investigator, Security Guard | Firefighter, Lifeguard, Crossing Guard |
| Retail | 57% | Cashier, Checkout Operator, Stock Room Associate | Store Manager, Casino Dealer, Dry Cleaner |
| Sales | 53% | Telemarketer, Travel Agent, Pharmaceutical Sales Rep | Business Development Manager, Medical Device Sales Rep, Account Manager |
| Science | 46% | Economist, Statistician, Lab Technician | Crop Scientist, Toxicologist, Oceanographer |
| Social Services | 21% | Wedding Planner, Tour Guide, Social Worker | Horse Trainer, Childcare Worker, Elder Care Worker |
| Sports | 38% | Sports Commentator, Sports Data Analyst, Sports Scout | Professional Athlete, Esports Player, Sports Physiotherapist |
| Support | 69% | Call Center Agent, Customer Service Rep, Billing Support Agent | Client Success Manager, Technical Support Specialist, IT Service Desk Analyst |
| Technology | 48% | Data Analyst, Prompt Engineer, QA Engineer | Chief Technology Officer, Robotics Technician, Engineering Manager |
| Trades | 23% | CNC Machinist, Home Inspector, Miner | Farrier, Typewriter Repair, HVAC Technician |
| Transportation | 40% | Truck Driver, Train Driver, Taxi Driver | Flight Attendant, Submarine Operator, Marine Pilot |
Quick answer
AI automation risk by industry is not a simple yes-or-no question. AI replaces tasks before it replaces full jobs. Roles built around repetitive digital work, scripted communication, data entry, document handling, and standardized analysis face the fastest pressure. Roles built around physical presence, trust, care, accountability, messy environments, and leadership tend to be more durable.
The highest-risk examples in our dataset include Data Entry Clerk, Telemarketer, Filing Clerk, Bookkeeper. Safer examples include Doula, Firefighter, Massage Therapist, Horse Trainer. Use this page as a decision map, then check the linked job pages for task-level scoring.
How to read the risk score
A risk score is the estimated share of core work that current or near-future AI can automate. A 70% score does not mean 70% of workers vanish tomorrow. It means a large part of the job can be compressed, delegated to AI, or done by fewer people. That usually changes hiring first: fewer entry-level openings, higher expectations for AI fluency, and more demand for people who can supervise automated systems.
The pattern behind AI-resistant careers
The safer jobs usually share at least one of these traits:
- Physical work in unpredictable settings — homes, hospitals, roads, kitchens, emergency scenes.
- Human trust and emotional nuance — therapy, care, negotiation, teaching, leadership.
- Accountability under uncertainty — medicine, safety, executive decisions, legal judgment.
- Hands-on craft — trades, repair, bodywork, field operations.
- Cross-functional taste and strategy — product direction, creative leadership, organizational change.
What to do next
If your job is high risk, do not panic. Move from execution to oversight. Learn the AI tools in your field, specialize in the parts AI cannot verify, and build adjacent skills that make you the person who improves the workflow rather than the person replaced by it.
If your job is low risk, do not ignore AI. The safest workers will still use AI to become faster, better documented, and easier to work with.