Many people are afraid for their jobs due to AI. Now Microsoft has published a study outlining which jobs are most likely to be affected. Here, 40 jobs are listed that are strongly impacted by AI. However, 40 jobs are also mentioned that don’t have to worry. Those working as embalmers can now relax.
Many people are concerned that their jobs might be taken over by AI in the long run, and that they themselves could be replaced. There are ongoing reports of companies laying off their entire staff and having AI perform the tasks.
Now Microsoft has published a study on artificial intelligence. The study addresses which professions are particularly affected by AI and which are considered more crisis-proof in the age of AI. And the study has sparked significant criticism within the community.
What kind of study is this? Microsoft has published a study (PDF) measuring how much the use of AI affects certain professions.
Where did the study’s data come from? For this purpose, Microsoft collected data over a period of 9 months (from January 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024). In total, data from 100,000 conversations conducted with Copilot, Microsoft’s own AI, was collected.
According to the study, this data is supposed to provide a representative overview of what tasks users perform with a common, publicly accessible, and freely usable generative AI chatbot.
40 professions that are most affected by AI according to the study
- Interpreters and Translators
- Historians
- Flight Attendants
- Service Sales Representatives
- Writers and Authors
- Customer Service Representatives
- CNC Tool Programmers
- Telemarketers
- Ticket Sellers and Travel Agents
- Radio Announcers and DJs
- Broker Assistants
- Agriculture and Home Economics Teachers
- Telemarketers
- Concierges
- Political Scientists
- News Analysts, Reporters, Journalists
- Mathematicians
- Technical Writers
- Proofreaders and Editors
- Hosts and Hostesses
- Editors
- Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
- PR Specialists
- Demonstrators and Product Promoters
- Advertising Sales Representatives
- Customer Service Representatives for New Customers
- Statistical Assistants
- Cashiers and Rental Clerks
- Data Scientists
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Archivists
- Web Developers
- Management Analysts
- Geographers
- Models
- Market Research Analysts
- Public Safety Telecommunications Professionals
- Telemarketers
- Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary
40 professions that are least affected by AI according to the study
- Phlebotomists
- Nursing Assistants
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
- Helpers – Painters, Plasterers
- Embalmers
- Plant and System Operators
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- Auto Glass Repairers
- Marine Engineers
- Tire Repairers and Changers
- Prosthetists
- Production Workers
- Road Maintenance Workers
- Medical Device Preparers
- Packers and Fillers
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Dishwashers
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Fire Crew Leaders
- Industrial and Tractor Operators
- Opticians
- Massage Therapists
- Surgical Assistants
- Tire Builders
- Helpers – Roofers
- Gas Compressor and Pump Station Operators
- Roofers
- Laborers, Oil and Gas
- Housekeepers and Cleaners
- Operators of Paving, Surfacing, and Tampering Equipment
- Operators of Timber Cutting Equipment
- Motorboat Operators
- Registered Nurses
- Floor Layers and Finishers
- Pile Drivers
- Operators of Track Construction and Maintenance Equipment
- Foundry Mould and Core Builders
- Water Treatment Facilities and Systems Operators
- Bridge and Lock Tenders
- Excavator Operators
Criticism of the study follows immediately from the community
What are the reactions like? Mostly negative. On Reddit, the study is already being widely discussed, and many criticize the study’s data. Many explain that many jobs should never be entrusted to AI because AI does not work cleanly. As someone explains:
Almost half of the jobs that could be taken over by AI shouldn’t be trusted to it at all. The second point, namely historians, should be obvious since AI cannot distinguish between fact and fiction.
Others explain that many of these jobs wouldn’t function at all without humans behind them. Because LLMs (Large Language Models) need material from humans. And “without people continuing to use our brains, they will hit the limits of their performance and even lose quality.”
The inventor of ChatGPT has also spoken up and explained which jobs, from his perspective, are safe from AI. And indeed, there are some overlaps with Microsoft’s study: The inventor of AI ChatGPT reveals which 34 jobs AI can never replace
