Study reveals which jobs are most at risk from advancing artificial intelligence
The report—produced by Microsoft and based on real conversations with Copilot—shows which occupations face the most “overlap” with AI and which are nearly immune.
AI makes it possible to create music by just typing instructions into a platform
A recent Microsoft study analyzes how generative artificial intelligence—such as Copilot—affects different jobs. Based on 200,000 real conversations, the report assigns an “AI applicability score” to each occupation, identifying which ones have the most “overlap” with the technology and which are least exposed.
The jobs most affected include administrative occupations, while manual jobs or those requiring machine operation have minimal interaction with AI.
The researchers emphasized that no job is performed entirely by AI. The so-called “overlap” means the technology can handle part of the tasks but does not necessarily imply worker replacement. The analysis also focuses only on language-based generative models, such as Copilot, and does not include areas like robotics or autonomous systems.
The most impacted sectors
The areas with the most overlap between AI and job roles include office occupations, as well as those related to computer science, the humanities and mathematics. Among the jobs most affected are:
- Technical writers.
- Editors.
- Proofreaders.
- Writers and authors.
- Data scientists.
- Market research analysts.
- Telemarketers and telephone operators.
- Customer service representatives.
- Advertising sales agents.
- Radio announcers and DJs.
- Journalists and news analysts.
- Translators and interpreters.
- University business professors.
- Historians.
- Public relations specialists.
- Web developers.
- Management analysts.
- CNC tool programmers.
- Service sales representatives.
- Stewardesses and passenger assistants.
- Political scientists.
- Travel agents and ticket clerks.
- Farm and housing management instructors.
Jobs with the least vulnerability
In contrast, the report notes that jobs relying on manual skills, physical strength, or the use of machinery have little overlap with generative AI. Among these are:
- Dishwashers.
- Massage therapists.
- Cement masons.
- Roofers.
- Medical equipment preparers.
- Surgical assistants.
- Dredge, pile driver and motorboat operators.
- Industrial truck and tractor operators.
- Water treatment plant operators.
- Firefighter supervisors.
- Railroad equipment operators.
- Tire manufacturers.
- Assistants in the oil and gas industry.
- Gas compressor and pumping station operators.
- Ophthalmic technicians.
- Molders and core makers.
- Machine feeders and carriers.
- Packaging and filling operators.
- Floor sanders and finishers.
What it means for workers
The report clarifies that high overlap does not equate to mass unemployment. Historical experience shows that automation often redefines jobs rather than eliminating them entirely. An example is bank tellers, whose roles changed after the advent of ATMs but did not disappear.
Microsoft concludes that the key is adaptation: those who adopt AI tools will be able to speed up routine tasks, free time for creative thinking, and increase their value in the job market.
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