A new study from Microsoft just laid out the jobs that may be replaced by AI while also charting out a list of the most AI-safe jobs. While the list is merely hypothetical, it does provide insight into how white-collar work is being impacted by AI.
A large number of tech CEOs have been vocal about their belief that many jobs are about to be replaced with AI, and evidence from multiple industries has corroborated the claim. Now, a new report from Microsoft has listed the jobs likely to be replaced by AI in the coming years. The study took a comprehensive look at the kind of tasks workers are able to perform with AI, and assessed the implications of it on the jobs that are performed by human workers today.
The most AI-safe jobs are the ones that extend beyond the capabilities of AI as it stands today, which is important to consider when you look at how artificial intelligence is reshaping our society. It is possible that AI tools will eventually evolve to fit more niche uses and applications, affecting a wider range of jobs in the future. However, as things stand today, it’s clear that gen AI is being put to use in information consolidation and analysis, making it the biggest threat for knowledge workers and those that bring information to seekers, such as workers in sales and communication positions.
Yes, AI tools are changing how we work, but have they advanced far enough to replace employees in some fields entirely over the next few years? (Image: Pexels)
A Microsoft Study Analyzed Which Jobs Are Likely to Be Replaced by AI
Microsoft’s research team just released a report titled Working with AI: Measuring the Occupational Implications of Generative AI, and it analyzed user conversations with its own Microsoft Bing Copilot over a 9-month period to understand how the AI tool was being put to use.
Analyzing the “work activities people do with AI, how successfully and broadly those activities are done, and combining that with data on what occupations do those activities,” the researchers were able to break down which jobs were being assisted by AI as a tool or automated by AI as the performer of tasks. The latter poses a great risk to careers, as it indicates the possibility of work being entirely handled by AI.
Microsoft’s study on AI’s impact on jobs suggests these 20 jobs are most likely to be replaced by AI or at least hit the hardest.
- Interpreters and Translators
- Historians
- Passenger Attendants
- Sales Representatives of Services
- Writers and Authors
- Customer Service Representatives
- CNC Tool Programmers
- Telephone Operators
- Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Broadcast Announcers and Radio DJs
- Brokerage Clerks
- Farm and Home Management Educators
- Telemarketers
- Concierges
- Political Scientists
- News Analysts, Reporters, Journalists
- Mathematicians
- Technical Writers
- Proofreaders and Copy Markers
- Hosts and Hostesses
The Microsoft Study Also Listed the Jobs Safe from AI-Based Change
It’s easy to look at the list of jobs predicted to be threatened by AI and panic immediately, but it’s important to understand that there are estimates that don’t necessarily reflect the full picture. The quality of AI-based writing has been abysmal thus far, and the idea of authors being replaced entirely by AI speaks to a future where humans will stop expressing themselves creatively, which just isn’t the case.
Political scientists and journalists have a critical role to play in the research and amalgamation of information. While some might be comfortable reading an AI-generated account of the news, most will still prefer reports from workers on the ground, directly interacting with the data source. AI tools will indeed come for a lot of these jobs, but they are still a while away from becoming proficient enough to entirely take over from workers.
The Microsoft study also took a hard look at the careers resilient to AI disruption, and the list is equally extensive. The list confirms what many already suspect—AI-resistant jobs are largely ones that require hands-on performance and are built on the backs of blue-collar work. From healthcare to maintenance workers, there is a clear segment of the workforce that won’t face the AI threat directly for now. The top 20 most AI-safe jobs include:
- Phlebotomists
- Nursing Assistants
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
- Helpers–Painters, Plasterers
- Embalmers
- Plant and System Operators, All Other
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers
- Ship Engineers
- Tire Repairers and Changers
- Prosthodontists
- Helpers–Production Workers
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Medical Equipment Preparers
- Packaging and Filling Machine Op.
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Dishwashers
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Supervisors of Firefighters
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
Are Jobs Truly At Such Great Risk from AI?
From Amazon to IBM, organizations have begun prioritizing AI investments as a matter of course, reshaping their businesses to lead with AI initiatives that will set them up for success in the coming years. Businesses both big and small have indeed begun to explore how they can optimize AI internally, pausing hiring activities to assess if tasks can be performed by AI instead. Certain banks have even begun hiring digital AI employees to perform tasks currently overseen by workers.
This makes Microsoft’s study on the AI impact on jobs a crucial point of investigation, as it helps us better understand just how the job market is evolving in favor of AI. Gen Z’s growing preference for blue-collar work is a logical shift in attitude. At the same time, it is important to recognize that jobs being replaced by AI won’t entirely phase out the entire workforce. As with most tech, AI development will eventually hit a wall and stagnate, much like auto-driving cars have in recent years. An exponential increment in performance is a while away, and workers will still be required to supervise in some capacity.
Over time, new roles will likely be created to facilitate the optimization of AI-based services. In 2025, it is important to go beyond parsing through the report on the jobs affected by AI and understand how and why this is occurring. There is still room to develop relevant skills and find a niche for yourself in your industry of choice. While careers resilient to AI disruption might seem like a more appealing alternative to your current career path, these roles will likely also be affected by AI to some degree in the future.
For now, it might be best to understand that the technology is here to stay and update your understanding of it to keep up with the times. For employers, it’s time to collaborate with employees on these industry-wide changes in preparation for what’s to come.
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