20 Jobs Most at Risk from AI

These occupations scored highest on the AI displacement scale. Score is out of 10, global average is 5.3.

9.2M
Workers in these 20 roles
U.S. workforce exposure
9.1/10
Average displacement score
Nearly double the global avg
73%
Are knowledge/office work
Digital-native roles dominate

Why These 20 Roles Are Most Exposed

The jobs at the top of this list share three traits: they are rule-based, digital-native, and produce structured output. Medical transcription follows explicit formatting rules. Bookkeeping applies known accounting standards. Customer service follows scripts and decision trees. AI doesn't just match these tasks - it outperforms humans on speed, accuracy, and cost.

What makes this list counterintuitive is that it isn't limited to low-skill work. Computer programmers ($98K), data scientists ($112K), financial analysts ($101K), and database architects ($123K) all score 9/10. High education requirements and technical expertise offer no protection when the core output is digital and pattern-based.

The common thread: if a job's primary output can be represented as text, data, or code, AI can learn to produce it. The 9.2 million workers in these 20 roles are on the front line of the biggest workforce shift since the industrial revolution.

The Office Floor

General office clerks (2.6M workers), customer service reps (2.8M), and financial clerks (1.2M) together account for 6.6 million jobs - 72% of the workers on this list. These aren't niche roles. They're the backbone of every corporate office in America, and AI can now handle most of their daily tasks.

High Pay, No Shield

Six of the 20 highest-risk roles pay above the national median. Computer research scientists earn $140K. Data scientists earn $112K. Database architects earn $123K. Financial analysts earn $101K. A six-figure salary doesn't buy AI safety - it just means the displacement hits harder when it comes.

The Full Top 20

# Occupation Score Risk Median Pay Workers
1 Medical transcriptionists
10/10
Maximum AI exposure $37,550 43,900
2 Bill and account collectors
9/10
Very high AI exposure $46,040 166,900
3 Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
9/10
Very high AI exposure $49,210 1,613,400
4 Computer and information research scientists
9/10
Very high AI exposure $140,910 40,300
5 Computer programmers
9/10
Very high AI exposure $98,670 121,200
6 Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
9/10
Very high AI exposure $67,310 17,700
7 Customer service representatives
9/10
Very high AI exposure $42,830 2,814,000
8 Data scientists
9/10
Very high AI exposure $112,590 245,900
9 Database administrators and architects
9/10
Very high AI exposure $123,100 144,900
10 Desktop publishers
9/10
Very high AI exposure $53,620 5,000
11 Drafters
9/10
Very high AI exposure $65,380 192,100
12 Economists
9/10
Very high AI exposure $115,440 17,600
13 Editors
9/10
Very high AI exposure $75,260 115,800
14 Financial analysts
9/10
Very high AI exposure $101,910 429,000
15 Financial clerks
9/10
Very high AI exposure $48,650 1,193,000
16 General office clerks
9/10
Very high AI exposure $43,630 2,646,000
17 Graphic designers
9/10
Very high AI exposure $61,300 265,900
18 Insurance underwriters
9/10
Very high AI exposure $79,880 127,000
19 Interpreters and translators
9/10
Very high AI exposure $59,440 75,300
20 Market research analysts
9/10
Very high AI exposure $76,950 941,700

Related Reading

Jobs Most at Risk from AI

Deep dive into the occupations facing the greatest disruption from AI automation.
AI Job Displacement Timeline

When will AI start replacing jobs at scale? A year-by-year breakdown of expected impacts.
Career Change in the AI Era

Practical strategies for pivoting into AI-resistant careers while leveraging existing skills.
Will AI Replace Financial Analysts?

Financial analysis scored 9/10 on AI risk. Here's what that means for 429,000 workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which jobs will AI replace first?
Jobs that are rule-based, digital-native, and produce structured output are most at risk. Medical transcriptionists (10/10), bookkeeping clerks (9/10), customer service reps (9/10), and data entry workers (9/10) top the list. These roles involve processing information according to fixed patterns - exactly what AI excels at.
Can I survive if my job scores 9 out of 10 on AI risk?
A high score doesn't mean your job disappears overnight. It means the core tasks will be automated within 3-5 years. Your survival strategy is to move up the value chain: become the person who oversees AI doing these tasks, handles exceptions, or manages client relationships. The role changes shape - the question is whether you change with it.
What should high-risk workers do right now?
Three steps: (1) Learn the AI tools already disrupting your field - become the expert who trains others. (2) Develop adjacent skills that AI can't replicate - relationship management, complex problem-solving, physical skills. (3) Start positioning for roles that supervise or complement AI output rather than compete with it.

More Analysis

20 Safest Careers from AI →

Physical, unpredictable, human-intensive work dominates the safety list.
Salary vs AI Risk →

Does higher pay protect you? The correlation is just 0.23. See the data.

Check Your Own AI Displacement Score

500+ occupations scored. See where you stand in 60 seconds.

Check Your Score Free →
Highest Risk Lowest Risk Tech Roles Executive Roles Salary vs Risk