40 Jobs at Risk: AI Automation Threatens Knowledge Work
A 2024 Microsoft Research study analyzed 200,000 real AI interactions and scored 40 knowledge-work occupations on AI applicability. Interpreters, translators, writers, customer service reps, and data scientists sit at the top. The defining factor: how much of a job’s core activity centers on information gathering, writing, and communication.
The study — “Working with AI: Measuring the Occupational Implications of Generative AI” — examined nine months of anonymized Bing Copilot conversations. Researchers mapped what users wanted to accomplish (“user goals”) against what the AI actually did (“AI actions”) to compute an AI applicability score for hundreds of occupations. That score measures whether AI is being used successfully and broadly for the work activities that define a job.
The highest-scoring jobs are knowledge-work occupations — roles built around ideas and information rather than physical goods or services. Communication-heavy fields lead the list: sales, computer and mathematical roles, administrative support, and arts, design, and media. Manual labor and machine-operation roles score lowest.
A key finding is the distinction between AI as an augmenting force and AI as an automating force. This is not a simple split. While AI improves productivity and assists with tasks, long-term hiring decisions are complex and depend on business choices the study does not try to predict. The research measures overlap between AI capabilities and work activities — not the ultimate economic outcome for each job. Historically, new technology has automated core tasks while simultaneously expanding roles in unexpected directions. The point here is to show which jobs face the highest pressure to adapt.
The Top 40 Jobs Impacted by AI
The following list details the 40 occupations with the highest AI applicability scores. For each profession, the explanation draws from the study’s findings on user goals and AI actions. AI is most effective at information gathering, writing, and communication — and it frequently takes on a service role, acting as a coach, advisor, or teacher.
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Interpreters and Translators
Why this job is at risk: This occupation tops the list with a near-perfect coverage score of 98%. Interpreters and Translators work exclusively with language and communication — exactly where generative AI excels. The AI acts as a direct substitute for translating documents, interpreting spoken language, and preparing multilingual materials. High completion and scope rates mean AI handles a large fraction of the work.
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Historians
Why this job is at risk: Historians research, analyze primary sources, and write scholarly articles — all areas the study identifies as top AI use cases. “Gathering information from various sources,” “editing written materials,” and “writing artistic/commercial material” are among the most common AI actions. The high coverage score (91%) reflects direct alignment between AI capabilities and the core tasks of this profession.
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Passenger Attendants
Why this job is at risk: Despite being a customer-facing role, a significant share of this job involves administrative and informational tasks. Providing information to passengers, responding to inquiries, and assisting with resources match precisely what AI does well in a service role. These tasks transfer readily to AI systems, improving efficiency and reducing the staffing needed for routine interactions.
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Sales Representatives of Services
Why this job is at risk: This large occupational group is built on communicating with people outside the organization, providing information, and responding to inquiries. AI excels at these exact tasks. It prepares informational materials, explains product details, and provides consultation and advice. The early stages of the sales process — initial contact and information delivery — are the most exposed.
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Writers and Authors
Why this job is at risk: The core function of a Writer or Author is creation and communication through text. The study identifies “writing, editing, or developing content” as one of the three main work-activity categories most common in AI conversations. AI generates, edits, and proofreads content — the fundamental tasks of this profession — with high completion rates and broad coverage.
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Customer Service Representatives
Why this job is at risk: This large occupational group faces direct AI pressure. “Responding to customer problems or inquiries” ranks in the top five AI actions in the study. AI plays a service role — providing information, assistance, and advice to customers. The prevalence of chatbots and automated systems in customer service today reflects exactly this capability overlap.
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CNC Tool Programmers
Why this job is at risk: A CNC Tool Programmer writes code to control machines. The study maps all programming work to a single IWA: “Program computer systems or production equipment.” AI is effective at generating and optimizing programming instructions, which is the core of this role. It handles a large fraction of the programming work, making this a highly exposed profession.
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Telephone Operators
Why this job is at risk: This job is built on communication and information provision. The study shows “providing information to clients/customers” and “providing general assistance to others” are among the most frequent AI actions. AI systems respond to inquiries, provide information, and route calls using natural language processing — directly overlapping with the primary functions of a human telephone operator.
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Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
Why this job is at risk: This role involves high-volume communication and administrative support. Core work activities include responding to inquiries, providing travel information, and operating computers — all top-performing AI tasks. AI-powered booking systems, automated customer service, and digital concierge tools handle booking, confirmations, and travel information delivery.
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Broadcast Announcers and Radio DJs
Why this job is at risk: Beyond performance, this job requires creating content, researching information, and communicating with an audience. The study identifies “developing news/entertainment/artistic content” as both a common user goal and AI action. AI writes scripts, selects music, generates ad copy, and produces synthetic voices — direct substitutes for core broadcast tasks.
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Brokerage Clerks
Why this job is at risk: Brokerage clerks handle substantial information processing and administrative work. Their activities include obtaining information about goods or services, processing digital data, and explaining regulations and procedures. AI performs these tasks with high success rates — analyzing market data, generating reports, and explaining complex financial regulations.
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Farm and Home Management Educators
Why this job is at risk: This role centers on education, advising, and information delivery. The study shows AI acts as “a coach, advisor, or teacher that gathers information and explains it to the user.” AI actions — teaching vocational subjects, advising on products and services, providing instructional materials — map directly to the core functions of this profession.
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Telemarketers
Why this job is at risk: This communication-intensive role is among the most directly exposed. Core activities include selling or influencing others, providing information to customers, and responding to inquiries. AI generates scripts, handles automated calls, and engages in dynamic conversations with prospects. “Providing information to clients/customers” is one of the most common AI actions in the study.
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Concierges
Why this job is at risk: Concierges provide information and assistance to clients. The study shows “provide info/assistance to the public” and “provide general assistance to others” are highly common AI actions. AI-powered systems recommend restaurants, make reservations, and answer general inquiries — the main tasks of a human concierge. The degree of overlap puts this profession at high risk.
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Political Scientists
Why this job is at risk: This knowledge-intensive profession relies on research, analysis, and communication. Work activities like “analyzing data or information,” “researching historical/social issues,” and “developing content” appear as common user goals and AI actions. AI gathers and interprets large datasets, summarizes research papers, and drafts reports — covering a significant portion of a political scientist’s work.
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News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
Why this job is at risk: Gathering information, interpreting it, and writing about it are the most common user goals and AI actions in the study. AI summarizes news, writes articles, and assists with research. The editorial and writing portions of journalism face the highest exposure, even as on-the-ground reporting remains a distinctly human function.
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Mathematicians
Why this job is at risk: “Computer and mathematical” is one of the occupational groups with the highest AI applicability scores in the study. While mathematical work is highly abstract, it involves extensive data analysis, problem-solving, and writing proofs or reports. AI assists with formulating hypotheses, processing complex calculations, and making decisions — covering a large fraction of the work.
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Technical Writers
Why this job is at risk: Technical writing is tied directly to “writing, editing, or developing content” — one of the most common user goals in AI interactions. AI generates user manuals, technical documentation, and other written materials. Its proficiency in generating and editing text aligns precisely with the core of this profession, producing a high applicability score.
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Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Why this job is at risk: Proofreading is almost entirely built around “editing written materials or documents” — the study identifies this as a common user goal with high completion rates. AI handles grammar, spelling, complex edits, and content improvements. AI-powered editing tools are already widespread, and generative AI performs even deeper revisions than traditional grammar checkers.
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Hosts and Hostesses
Why this job is at risk: Similar to Passenger Attendants and Concierges, this job centers on information and assistance despite being a face-to-face role. “Providing information to clients/customers” and “providing general assistance to others” are common AI actions. AI manages reservations, answers inquiries, and provides information to guests — the main tasks of a host.
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Editors
Why this job is at risk: Editing is intrinsically linked to “writing, editing, or developing content” — a top work activity in the study with high completion rates for AI. AI assists with fact-checking, content refinement, and structural editing, all central to an editor’s role. The alignment between AI capabilities and core job functions drives the high applicability score.
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Business Teachers, Postsecondary
Why this job is at risk: This role is built on advising, teaching, and preparing instructional materials. The study points to AI’s ability to “teach academic or vocational subjects,” “prepare informational/instructional materials,” and “provide support or encouragement to others” as common actions. AI creates lesson plans, provides personalized feedback, and generates educational content — key parts of a professor’s work.
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Public Relations Specialists
Why this job is at risk: PR specialists are communication-focused professionals who develop content and provide information to clients. AI drafts press releases, social media content, and communication strategies with high completion rates and broad scope. A significant portion of a PR specialist’s work is either augmented or performed outright by AI.
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Demonstrators and Product Promoters
Why this job is at risk: This hybrid of sales and communication involves providing information to customers and promoting products. AI generates persuasive marketing copy, creates promotional materials, and engages in scripted conversations. The study’s findings on AI’s ability to explain technical product details and provide customer information directly correspond to the functions of this job.
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Advertising Sales Agents
Why this job is at risk: Advertising sales agents focus on communication, sales, and delivering information to clients. Their work aligns with promoting products and providing client information. AI generates advertising content, identifies target audiences, and automates parts of the sales process. The overlap between this job’s functions and AI’s communication and content capabilities drives the high applicability score.
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New Accounts Clerks
Why this job is at risk: This administrative support role is built on information processing and communication. Work activities include processing digital data, obtaining information about goods or services, and responding to customer inquiries. AI automates data entry, processes applications, and answers a wide range of customer questions — all high-scoring AI actions in the study.
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Statistical Assistants
Why this job is at risk: Analyzing data or information is the core function of this job — and the study identifies it as a top user goal. AI assists with statistical analysis, data cleaning, and generating reports. The direct overlap between this job’s tasks and AI’s data-processing capabilities produces a high applicability score.
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Counter and Rental Clerks
Why this job is at risk: Counter clerk work centers on communication, customer service, and administrative tasks. The study shows AI is effective at providing customer information, responding to inquiries, and offering general assistance. AI-powered systems handle bookings, reservations, and question-answering — the primary tasks of this job.
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Data Scientists
Why this job is at risk: Data Scientists lead the AI revolution, yet the study places them high on the impacted list. Their core activities — analyzing data and operating computers — are highly susceptible to AI influence. AI automates parts of the data analysis pipeline, from cleaning data to building models and generating reports. The role shifts toward more strategic, higher-level tasks as AI handles the execution.
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Personal Financial Advisors
Why this job is at risk: Financial advisors provide consultation and advice to clients. The study identifies “providing consultation and advice to others” as a common user goal. AI analyzes financial data, provides investment recommendations, and assists with financial planning. AI acts as an advisor by processing information and delivering data-driven recommendations — core functions of this job.
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Archivists
Why this job is at risk: Archivists collect, organize, and preserve information. The study shows “organizing, planning, and prioritizing work” and “processing information” are common user goals and AI actions. AI systems digitize documents, organize data, and create detailed indexes — the key tasks of an archivist. The overlap with AI’s information-processing capabilities is direct and substantial.
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Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
Why this job is at risk: Like other teaching roles on this list, this job involves preparing instructional materials, teaching, and advising students. AI teaches academic subjects, prepares instructional materials, and supports students with personalized feedback. Lecture content generation, assignment grading, and tutoring are all areas where AI handles a meaningful share of the work.
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Web Developers
Why this job is at risk: Web development is centered on “program computer systems or production equipment” — a task where AI excels. AI generates code, debugs programs, and assists with website design and maintenance. Its proficiency in coding and computer-related tasks makes this one of the more directly impacted professions on the list.
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Management Analysts
Why this job is at risk: This knowledge-intensive job involves data analysis, problem-solving, and communication. The study identifies “analyzing data or information” and “making decisions and solving problems” as common user goals. AI analyzes business data, identifies trends, and generates strategic recommendations — automating a significant portion of the research and analysis that management analysts perform.
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Geographers
Why this job is at risk: Geographers focus on data analysis, research, and communication. The study shows “analyzing data or information” and “researching historical/social issues” are common user goals. AI processes GIS data, analyzes satellite imagery, and generates reports. The direct alignment between core geographic functions and AI’s data analysis and research capabilities drives the high applicability score.
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Models
Why this job is at risk: Beyond physical performance, a significant portion of this work involves tasks AI is reshaping. “Create artistic designs/performances” is a common user goal and AI action in the study. AI generates synthetic images and videos that serve as substitutes for human models in advertising and media — a direct displacement of a core income source for this profession.
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Market Research Analysts
Why this job is at risk: This data-intensive job is highly exposed. Work activities include analyzing data, obtaining information about goods or services, and interpreting meaning for others. AI analyzes market trends, processes consumer data, and generates reports. The strong alignment between this job’s functions and AI’s data analysis and information-processing capabilities produces a high applicability score.
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Public Safety Telecommunicators
Why this job is at risk: This role combines customer service and information provision in a high-stakes environment. Work activities include responding to problems and providing information to the public. The human element is critical for emergencies. AI handles call triage, provides initial information, and manages administrative tasks — reducing routine workload while judgment-intensive work remains human.
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Switchboard Operators
Why this job is at risk: This administrative support role is built on communication. “Providing information to clients/customers” and “providing general assistance to others” are common AI actions. AI automates call routing and provides automated responses to inquiries — the main tasks of this job. The overlap between job functions and AI’s communication capabilities is nearly complete.
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Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Why this job is at risk: Like other teaching roles, this job involves preparing instructional materials, teaching, and advising students. AI teaches academic subjects, prepares instructional materials, and provides personalized feedback. Lesson plan generation, research assistance, and student support are all areas where AI handles a growing share of the work.
What This Means for Knowledge Workers
The study’s findings reveal a clear pattern: professions built on knowledge work, information processing, and communication face the highest AI exposure. The AI applicability score framework shows which jobs have the most overlap between their core activities and what AI is demonstrably good at — gathering and interpreting information, writing, and providing service-oriented assistance.
The study does not predict whether jobs get automated or augmented — it provides a snapshot of where AI capability and job function intersect right now. High applicability scores signal a need for adaptation, not a death sentence. Historically, new technology automates routine tasks and reshapes roles — the bank teller example from the study makes this point clearly: ATMs automated core teller tasks and led to more teller jobs overall as roles evolved toward relationship and advisory work.
For the 40 professions on this list, the practical challenge is identifying which parts of the role AI handles well and which parts require distinctly human judgment, creativity, and interpersonal skill. Workers who navigate this shift best will stop competing with AI on execution and start leading on strategy and relationship. If you want a framework for building that kind of AI roadmap without replacing your team, here are 10 real examples of how companies are doing it.
Expert Take
The most important number in this study is not the applicability score — it’s the completion rate. A high applicability score means AI can attempt the task. A high completion rate means it actually finishes it. The occupations at the top of this list don’t just have AI capability overlap; they have high completion rates on the tasks that define the job. That’s the distinction between “AI can help” and “AI can replace.” Knowledge workers in these 40 fields need to look hard at which parts of their daily output carry both high applicability and high completion — those are the tasks under real pressure. The parts that require contextual judgment, source credibility evaluation, or relationship trust remain human territory, but that boundary is narrowing. See how AI applications are driving measurable ROI in HR and recruiting as one example of how this plays out in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the purpose of the Microsoft Research study on AI and jobs?
- The study analyzes how generative AI is being used in real-world work scenarios and measures its potential impact on different occupations by examining actual user interactions with Bing Copilot over nine months in 2024.
- How many occupations were analyzed in the study?
- The study identifies 40 key professions most likely to be impacted by generative AI, based on AI applicability scores derived from 200,000 anonymized Bing Copilot conversations.
- What is an AI applicability score?
- It is a metric that reflects how suitable a profession is for AI to assist or automate key job functions, calculated by measuring the overlap between a job’s core work activities and what AI successfully does in real interactions.
- Which jobs are most affected by generative AI?
- Jobs built on knowledge work, writing, communication, and information processing — such as translators, writers, and customer service representatives — score highest on AI applicability.
- What types of jobs have the highest AI applicability scores?
- Professions like interpreters, historians, technical writers, and customer service representatives hold the top scores because their core work activities align directly with AI’s strongest capabilities.
- Are creative jobs at risk due to AI?
- Yes, especially those involving written or spoken content creation — authors, journalists, and broadcast announcers all rank high on the list.
- How does AI affect manual labor jobs?
- Manual labor jobs score lowest on AI applicability because the physical nature of their tasks does not align with AI’s core capabilities in information processing and communication.
- Is AI more likely to augment or replace jobs?
- The study shows AI augments many roles and automates routine tasks, shifting job responsibilities — the long-term outcome depends on how businesses choose to restructure around AI capability.
- How was the research conducted?
- The study analyzed 200,000 anonymized interactions with Bing Copilot over nine months in 2024, mapping user goals against AI actions to compute applicability scores for hundreds of occupations.
- What are “user goals” and “AI actions” in the study?
- User goals are what people aim to accomplish with AI, and AI actions are what the AI actually does in response — the overlap between these two dimensions drives the applicability score for each occupation.
- Why are customer service roles vulnerable to AI?
- These roles rely heavily on communication and information delivery — tasks AI handles with high completion rates across a broad range of interactions.
- Can AI be used to write code?
- Yes, AI effectively assists with programming tasks including writing, debugging, and optimizing code — which is why CNC Tool Programmers and Web Developers both appear on this list.
- What is the risk level for data scientists?
- High — data scientists’ core work in data analysis and automation aligns directly with AI’s strongest capabilities, pushing the role toward more strategic and interpretive functions.
- Will AI eliminate jobs entirely?
- AI transforms jobs more than it eliminates them — the historical pattern is automation of routine tasks paired with role expansion into higher-judgment work.
- How can workers prepare for AI changes?
- Workers who adapt fastest focus on the skills AI cannot replicate well: contextual judgment, relationship trust, creative strategy, and source credibility evaluation.
- Are teachers at risk of being replaced by AI?
- Teaching roles face real automation pressure on instructional and grading tasks, but full replacement requires human judgment, mentorship, and relationship skills that AI does not replicate.
- What are some communication-heavy roles impacted by AI?
- Sales representatives, public relations specialists, telemarketers, and broadcast announcers all rank high because their core work is built on information delivery and communication.
- Can AI replace translators?
- AI scores 98% coverage for interpreter and translator work — the highest on the list — because language translation and document preparation align almost perfectly with AI’s core capabilities.
- What professions are least likely to be impacted by AI?
- Jobs requiring physical labor, hands-on care, or real-time human judgment in unpredictable environments score lowest on AI applicability.
- Is AI used for statistical analysis?
- Yes, AI assists with data cleaning, report generation, and trend identification — which is why Statistical Assistants appear on the high-impact list.
- How are editors and proofreaders affected by AI?
- AI excels at grammar correction, rewriting, and content refinement, placing both Editors and Proofreaders among the most exposed professions in the study.
- Can AI generate marketing content?
- Yes, AI creates persuasive ad copy, promotional material, and social media content — directly impacting Advertising Sales Agents, Demonstrators, and PR Specialists on this list.
- What is the role of AI in educational content creation?
- AI generates lesson plans, instructional material, and personalized student feedback, which is why multiple postsecondary teaching roles appear in the top 40.
- Does AI affect concierge and service roles?
- Yes, many informational and booking tasks that define concierge and service work are automated by AI-powered systems today.
- How is AI being used in journalism?
- AI summarizes stories, drafts articles, and assists with research — covering a significant share of the writing and editorial work that defines the profession.
- What is the implication for telecommunication roles?
- Call routing and general information tasks handled by AI directly reduce the need for human telephone operators and switchboard staff.
- Will AI lead to job creation?
- New roles emerge as others transform — the net effect is not elimination but restructuring, with demand shifting toward jobs that require human judgment and relationship skills.
- Why are geographers and analysts impacted?
- These roles are built on interpreting data — an activity AI performs efficiently at scale, automating tasks that previously required specialized analytical skill.
- Can AI act as a teacher or coach?
- Yes, AI guides users through processes, offers advice, and explains information contextually — a documented pattern in how people actually use AI tools.
- What is the overall takeaway from the study?
- AI is reshaping knowledge work at a measurable pace — professions with the highest exposure need to adapt by focusing on strategy, creativity, and the interpersonal dimensions of their work that AI cannot replicate.
The full Microsoft Research report is available at https://arxiv.org/pdf/2507.07935.
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