Jobs Most at Risk from AI in 2026
We analyzed 925 U.S. occupationsusing BLS employment data, academic AI exposure research, and real-time layoff tracking to identify the careers most vulnerable to automation. Here's what the data shows.
Top 25 Most At-Risk Occupations
Ranked by our composite AI risk score, which weighs automation potential (Frey & Osborne), AI task exposure (Webb), generative AI exposure (Eloundou et al.), and real-world layoff data.See full methodology →
| Rank | Occupation | Risk Score | Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data Entry Keyers Nearly 100% of tasks are routine, structured data processing — exactly what AI excels at | 92 | $37K | 152,000 |
| 2 | Telemarketers AI voice agents already handle outbound calls at scale with higher conversion rates | 89 | $31K | 94,000 |
| 3 | Bookkeeping & Auditing Clerks Automated reconciliation, categorization, and reporting are replacing manual bookkeeping | 85 | $47K | 1,530,000 |
| 4 | Tax Preparers Rule-based work with structured inputs — AI tax tools already handle standard returns | 82 | $46K | 76,000 |
| 5 | Loan Officers Automated underwriting and risk assessment replacing manual loan evaluation | 78 | $65K | 310,000 |
| 6 | Insurance Underwriters Algorithmic risk modeling outperforms human judgment on standard policies | 76 | $77K | 114,000 |
| 7 | Title Examiners & Abstractors Document review and title search is highly automatable with NLP | 75 | $52K | 56,000 |
| 8 | Payroll & Timekeeping Clerks Payroll processing is almost fully automatable with existing software | 74 | $49K | 106,000 |
| 9 | Legal Secretaries Document drafting, scheduling, and filing increasingly handled by AI tools | 73 | $50K | 163,000 |
| 10 | Credit Analysts Quantitative credit assessment is a natural fit for machine learning models | 72 | $82K | 71,000 |
| 11 | Billing & Posting Clerks Invoice processing and payment posting are prime automation targets | 71 | $42K | 427,000 |
| 12 | Word Processors & Typists Voice-to-text and AI drafting tools have made this role largely redundant | 71 | $42K | 33,000 |
| 13 | Proofreaders & Copy Markers AI proofreading tools match or exceed human accuracy for standard text | 70 | $44K | 10,000 |
| 14 | Telephone Operators Already decimated — AI call routing handles the remaining volume | 70 | $37K | 4,200 |
| 15 | Claims Adjusters Photo-based damage assessment and automated claims processing reducing headcount | 69 | $72K | 284,000 |
| 16 | Financial Clerks (Other) Routine financial record-keeping automated by accounting software + AI | 68 | $44K | 97,000 |
| 17 | Brokerage Clerks Trade processing and reconciliation increasingly automated | 68 | $56K | 60,000 |
| 18 | Order Clerks Order entry and tracking fully automatable with e-commerce systems | 67 | $38K | 54,000 |
| 19 | Paralegals & Legal Assistants Document review, legal research, and contract analysis — core LLM capabilities | 66 | $59K | 345,000 |
| 20 | Cargo & Freight Agents Logistics coordination and documentation becoming AI-managed | 65 | $47K | 80,000 |
| 21 | Purchasing Agents AI procurement tools handle vendor analysis, pricing, and order management | 64 | $67K | 273,000 |
| 22 | Executive Secretaries AI scheduling, email drafting, and calendar management replacing admin support | 63 | $68K | 444,000 |
| 23 | Loan Interviewers & Clerks Application intake and verification increasingly digital and automated | 63 | $44K | 164,000 |
| 24 | Statistical Assistants Data compilation and basic statistical analysis handled by AI tools | 62 | $50K | 12,000 |
| 25 | Court Reporters Real-time AI transcription approaching certified accuracy levels | 62 | $60K | 23,000 |
Employment figures from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Risk scores from our composite index.View all 925 occupations →
What Makes a Job Vulnerable to AI?
Five factors consistently predict which occupations face the highest AI displacement risk. The more of these a job has, the higher it scores.
Routine & Repetitive Tasks
Jobs where 70%+ of daily work follows predictable patterns. AI thrives on routine — data entry, form processing, and standard calculations are already faster and cheaper with automation.
Digital-First Workflows
Roles that exist entirely on a computer. If the job's inputs and outputs are digital, AI can slot in with minimal friction — no robotics or physical infrastructure needed.
Rule-Based Decision Making
When decisions follow clear criteria (approve/deny, pass/fail, compliant/non-compliant), algorithms can match or exceed human accuracy at a fraction of the cost.
Text & Document Processing
Large language models have made document review, summarization, and drafting remarkably capable. Any job centered on processing text is exposed.
Quantitative Analysis
Number-crunching, statistical analysis, and financial modeling — tasks where AI models process data faster and without fatigue.
Industries With the Most Vulnerable Workers
Some industries concentrate at-risk roles more than others. Here's where the highest-scoring occupations cluster.
Financial Services
Key vulnerable roles: Loan officers, underwriters, claims adjusters, financial clerks
Administrative & Support
Key vulnerable roles: Secretaries, data entry, billing clerks, payroll processors
Legal Services
Key vulnerable roles: Paralegals, legal secretaries, court reporters, title examiners
Information Technology
Key vulnerable roles: QA testers, system administrators, help desk, junior developers
Insurance
Key vulnerable roles: Underwriters, claims processors, actuarial assistants
Real Estate
Key vulnerable roles: Title examiners, appraisers, property managers (admin tasks)
The Salary Paradox
Contrary to popular belief, AI doesn't just threaten low-wage workers. Our data shows a bimodal pattern: both low-salary clerical roles and mid-to-high salary knowledge workers face significant risk.
What You Can Do About It
If your job appears on this list, don't panic. Displacement doesn't happen overnight. Here's how to get ahead of it.
Check your specific risk score
Use our risk calculator to see exactly where your occupation stands — and which tasks are most automatable.
Check your risk →Identify transferable skills
Most at-risk workers have skills that map to lower-risk roles. Our career transition tool shows the best adjacent moves.
Find transitions →Build AI-complementary skills
Leadership, complex problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and creative judgment are the hardest capabilities for AI to replicate.
Assess your skills →Learn to work with AI
The workers who thrive will be those who use AI as a tool, not those who compete against it. Prompt engineering, AI oversight, and human-AI collaboration are emerging skill sets.
Explore retraining →Frequently Asked Questions
What jobs are most at risk from AI in 2026?▼
How many jobs will AI replace by 2030?▼
Can AI really replace white-collar jobs?▼
What makes a job resistant to AI automation?▼
Should I change careers because of AI?▼
Don't just read about the risk — measure it
Search 925 occupations, compare risk scores, and find your personalized career plan using our free tools.