Adoption of artificial intelligence is accelerating and fears of job displacement are growing. Artificial intelligence is changing work across industries, but its effects are uneven. While some roles may face significant disruption, many others remain relatively safe from automation. Knowing which jobs are at risk can help workers, employers and policymakers plan ahead.
Anthropic’s research seeks to monitor the impact of AI in a timely manner, identifying potential risks before major changes occur, enabling policymakers and businesses to respond proactively.
To support this, they developed a metric called observed exposure, which measures how vulnerable different jobs are to AI disruption.
Jobs least exposed to AI
Some roles are difficult for AI to replace because they include:
-Critical thinking and judgment
-Extraordinary decision making
– Caring for vulnerable people
-Adapting to unpredictable conditions
Proportion of job tasks that LLMs could theoretically perform (blue area) and our own measure of job coverage derived from utilization data (red area). (Credit: https://www.anthropic.com/research/labor-market-impacts)
Professions with minimal blue or red coverage in Anthropic research are the safest of the AIs.
Characteristics of risky jobs
The jobs most at risk of AI disruption tend to:
– Be repetitive and routine
– Be knowledge based and document driven (often white collar)
– Heavily dependent on computers and software
Read also | Claude beats ChatGPT and Gemini with a sensible solution to a real problem
Eight job categories are least at risk
Based on Anthropic’s findings, the following job categories, most of which are blue-collar roles, are least affected by AI:
Examples: Carpenter, Electrician, Plumber
– assembly and repair technicians
Examples: HVAC Technician, Elevator Installer/Repairer, Radiology Technician, Solar Panel Installer/Repairer
Examples: Equipment Operator, Crop Manager/Farmer, Irrigation Technician
Examples: Quality Control Manager, Production Operations Manager
Examples: truck driver, bus driver, delivery driver, freight logistics manager
– Campus maintenance workers
Examples: gardener/horticulturist, golf course maintenance worker
Examples: home health aide, personal care aide/nurse, disability support worker, childcare provider, social worker
-Food and service workers
Examples: bartender, barista, catering staff, chef
Why these jobs are safer
-They require hands-on skills that AI cannot replicate.
-Depends on human judgment and emotional intelligence.
-Many involve dynamic environments where AI cannot function reliably.
Jobs in these eight categories are less likely to be fully automated now or in the near future.
Read also | Experts see India as a potential growth market if the US steers clear of Anthropic
Key things
- Practical skills and emotional intelligence protect certain jobs from artificial intelligence.
- Jobs that involve critical thinking and human interaction remain safer from automation.
- Understanding the impact of AI enables practitioners and policymakers to create strategies for the future.
