Top 65 Jobs Safest from AI & Robot Automation

By: U.S. Career Institute

The age of artificial intelligence and automated robots is here, and with it comes many advancements for society. But the main concern on many people’s minds as we enter the age of automation led by robots and artificial intelligence (AI) is “Will AI take my job?” When selecting a career path, it’s important to think about what the future looks like for that field. As we begin to see more robots taking over jobs, it will become increasingly important to choose a career path that has a low risk of being automated in the future. If that career path is projected to grow over the next decade, even better!

Now, the question is, which jobs are the safest from artificial intelligence and robots? Using results that Will Robots Take My Job? generated with automation risk data, U.S. Career Institute created a chart of the 65 jobs that are the least likely to be replaced by robotic automation. The following 65 occupations were all determined to have a job automation risk probability of 0.0% based on the abilities, knowledge, skills, and activities that are required to perform the job well. With the same low risk of automation, they are ranked in order of their projected growth by 2032 to determine which occupations will continue to thrive through the age of AI and robotics.

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Which Jobs Are Safest from AI and Automation?

The jobs safest from AI and automation are ones that require human qualities that a robot cannot replicate, such as social skills, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal relationships. Fields that are more creative and don’t stick to a rigid routine will also lower the risk of AI replacing jobs in that field. The most common jobs found to have a low risk of automation are jobs in the medical field, as they are complex and require flexibility; medical situations can be unpredictable. Jobs least likely to be affected by automation are commonly found in the following fields:

• Health Care: Nurses, doctors, therapists, and counselors
• Education: Teachers, instructors, and school administrators
• Creative: Musicians, artists, writers, and journalists
• Personal Services: Hairdressers, cosmetologists, personal trainers, and coaches

Which AI-Proof Job Is Projected to Grow the Most?

Of the list of AI-proof jobs, nurse practitioners are projected to grow the most, with an estimated increase of 45.7% by 2032, far faster than any of the other 64 jobs on the list. It’s a great option for a stable career in the medical field, but the path to becoming a nurse practitioner can be long, as they are required to earn a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing. It is a lucrative career choice, though, with a median annual wage of $120,680. Why are nurse practitioners less likely to be affected by AI automation? This type of job includes assisting and caring for others as well as persuasion, negotiation, and social perceptiveness, all qualities that would be very difficult to replicate with a robot or artificial intelligence.

Other jobs that are estimated to grow the most over the next decade include choreographers, with a projected growth of 29.7% by 2032, followed by physicians’ assistants, with a projected growth of 27.6%. A career as a choreographer requires creativity, originality, and social skills, all qualities that AI and robots cannot easily replicate. A job as a physician’s assistant requires similar skills as that of a nurse practitioner, making this a job with low risk of robot automation.

The 10 AI-Proof Jobs With the Highest Projected Growth by 2032

1. Nurse Practitioners: 45.7%
2. Choreographers: 29.7%
3. Physician Assistants: 27.6%
4. Mental Health Counselors: 22.1%
5. Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Post-Secondary: 21.5%
6. Coaches and Scouts: 20%
7. Athletic Trainers: 17.5%
8. Physical Therapists: 16.9%
9. Orthotists and Prosthetists: 16.8%
10. Occupational Therapists: 13.9%

While there are many benefits of artificial intelligence and robots automating certain tasks to make them more efficient, one of the main drawbacks is how the future of artificial intelligence will affect the job market and the millions of people working jobs at risk of automation by robotics and AI. Automate-proof your future by choosing a career path that requires skills that cannot be easily automated by a robot or artificial intelligence. One way to stay ahead of job automation is to continue educating yourself and learning new, valuable skills that will allow you to to remain competitive in the job market for years to come.

The 65 AI-Proof Jobs and How Much They Are Projected to Grow

	Occupation	2021 Median Annual Wage (U.S.)	Projected Growth by 2032
1	Nurse Practitioners	$120,680	45.70%
2	Choreographers	$42,700	29.70%
3	Physician Assistants	$121,530	27.60%
4	Mental Health Counselors	$48,520	22.10%
5	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Post-Secondary	$77,440	21.50%
6	Coaches and Scouts	$38,970	20.00%
7	Athletic Trainers	$48,420	17.50%
8	Physical Therapists	$95,620	16.90%
9	Orthotists and Prosthetists	$75,440	16.80%
10	Occupational Therapists	$85,570	13.90%
11	Marriage and Family Therapists	$49,880	13.90%
12	Art Therapists	$59,500	11.20%
13	Music Therapists	$59,500	11.20%
14	Health-Care Social Workers	$60,840	11.10%
15	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers	$49,130	11.10%
16	Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers	$97,410	9.80%
17	Psychology Teachers, Post-Secondary	$77,860	9.60%
18	Fitness and Wellness Coordinators	$60,360	9.50%
19	Soil and Plant Scientists	$66,750	9.10%
20	Social Work Teachers, Post-Secondary	$71,010	8.90%
21	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Post-Secondary	$75,940	8.80%
22	Psychiatrists	$249,760	8.70%
23	Anthropology and Archaeology Teachers, Post-Secondary	$97,340	8.30%
24	Physicists	$152,430	8.20%
25	Architecture Teachers, Post-Secondary	$95,160	7.80%
26	Nurse Midwives	$112,830	7.50%
27	Emergency Medical Technicians	$35,470	7.00%
28	Security Managers	$97,930	6.90%
29	Civil Engineers	$88,050	6.90%
30	Transportation Engineers	$88,050	6.90%
31	Adapted Physical Education Specialists	$61,720	6.80%
32	Paramedics	$46,770	6.60%
33	Clinical Nurse Specialists	$77,600	6.20%
34	Critical Care Nurses	$77,600	6.20%
35	Advanced-Practice Psychiatric Nurses	$77,600	6.20%
36	Dentists, General	$160,370	6.10%
37	Set and Exhibit Designers	$54,860	5.20%
38	Prosthodontists	$100,950	5.10%
39	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary	$98,420	4.90%
40	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons	$311,460	4.60%
41	Firefighters	$50,700	4.30%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers	$78,230	4.10%
43	Urban and Regional Planners	$78,500	3.80%
44	Recreational Therapists	$47,940	3.60%
45	Directors, Religious Activities and Education	$46,980	3.60%
46	Dermatologists	$302,740	3.10%
47	Neurologists	$267,660	3.00%
48	First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$99,330	2.80%
49	Neuropsychologists	$102,900	2.80%
50	Clinical Neuropsychologists	$102,900	2.80%
51	Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric	$306,220	2.70%
52	Architects, Except Landscape and Naval	$80,180	2.70%
53	Surgeons, All Other	$297,800	2.60%
54	Emergency Management Directors	$76,730	2.50%
55	Preventive Medicine Physicians	$183,655	2.40%
56	Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians	$231,500	2.40%
57	Hospitalists	$247,741	2.40%
58	Sports Medicine Physicians	$249,738	2.40%
59	Pediatric Surgeons	$290,310	2.20%
60	Obstetricians and Gynecologists	$296,210	1.70%
61	Interior Designers	$60,340	0.90%
62	Landscape Architects	$67,950	-0.10%
63	Fish and Game Wardens	$60,730	-3.50%
64	Chief Executives	$179,520	-7.30%
65	Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers	$36,360	-20.30%