AI Job Statistics 2026
291 Jobs · 26 Industries · FAIR Framework Analysis by James Perkins
Of 291 jobs analyzed across 26 industries using the FAIR Framework, 41% (119 jobs) face Critical or High AI displacement risk. The average displacement score is 61.4% while the average replacement score is 43.6%, indicating most jobs will be transformed by AI rather than eliminated. Office & Administrative Support (90.2%) and Finance (84.2%) face the highest industry-level risk. Data Entry Clerk (98%) is the single most at-risk role.
Source: FAIR Framework, What About AI? ·
JAKey Findings
41%
of jobs at Critical or High risk
61.4%
average displacement score
43.6%
average replacement score
58%
of jobs are human-centric
Risk Tier Breakdown
Top 10 Most At-Risk Jobs
Jobs with the highest AI displacement scores in the FAIR Framework database.
| # | Job Title | Displacement | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data Entry Clerk | 98% | 98% |
| 2 | Telemarketer | 96% | 95% |
| 3 | Virtual Assistant | 95% | 80% |
| 4 | Bookkeeper | 95% | 90% |
| 5 | Bank Teller | 94% | 90% |
| 6 | Cashier / Checkout Clerk | 94% | 95% |
| 7 | Administrative Assistant / Secretary | 92% | 80% |
| 8 | Office Clerk / File Clerk | 92% | 85% |
| 9 | Mail Clerk | 92% | 85% |
| 10 | Tax Preparer / Tax Specialist | 92% | 80% |
Top 10 Safest Jobs from AI
Roles with the lowest displacement risk — strong human-centric requirements that resist current AI capabilities.
| # | Job Title | Displacement | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dancer / Choreographer | 17% | 12% |
| 2 | Tattoo Artist | 17% | 12% |
| 3 | Sculptor | 23% | 17% |
| 4 | Archaeologist | 23% | 17% |
| 5 | Yoga/Pilates Instructor | 23% | 17% |
| 6 | Biomedical Engineer | 26% | 23% |
| 7 | Fine Artist / Painter | 28% | 21% |
| 8 | Filmmaker / Director | 28% | 21% |
| 9 | Musician / Singer | 28% | 21% |
| 10 | Research Scientist | 28% | 21% |
Industry Rankings by AI Displacement Risk
All 26 industries ranked by average displacement score.
Supporting Research
Key statistics from leading research institutions that inform and corroborate FAIR Framework findings.
300 million
jobs globally could be affected by generative AI
Source: Goldman Sachs (2025)
30%
of hours worked globally could be automated by 2030
Source: McKinsey Global Institute (2025)
83 million
jobs may be displaced by automation by 2027, while 69 million new roles are created
Source: World Economic Forum (2023)
40%
of global employment is exposed to AI disruption
Source: International Monetary Fund (2024)
$15.7 trillion
potential contribution of AI to the global economy by 2030
Source: PwC (2025)
37%
faster task completion for workers using AI writing tools
Source: MIT/NBER (2023)
12.2%
more tasks completed by consultants using GPT-4, with 25% faster completion
Source: Harvard Business School (2023)
55%
faster task completion for developers using AI coding assistants
Source: GitHub (2023)
20-30%
productivity gains reported by companies deploying AI tools across teams
Source: McKinsey (2025)
21x
increase in AI skill mentions in job postings since 2022
Source: LinkedIn Economic Graph (2025)
44%
of workers' core skills will be disrupted in the next five years
Source: World Economic Forum (2023)
450%
increase in demand for AI-related skills since 2020
Source: Lightcast (2025)
Only 14%
of workers globally have received any formal AI training
Source: OECD (2025)
$93.5 billion
invested in AI globally in 2023, up from $12.8 billion in 2017
Source: Stanford HAI (2024)
33%
decline in software developer job postings from 2020 peak levels
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025)
37%
higher citation rate for content that includes attributed statistics
Source: Princeton/Perplexity Research (2025)
70%
of hiring managers now consider AI proficiency when evaluating candidates
Source: Resume Builder (2025)
FAIR Framework Aggregate Findings
Displacement vs. Replacement Gap
The average displacement score (61.4%) exceeds the average replacement score (43.6%) by 17.8 points. This confirms the central FAIR Framework thesis: most jobs will be transformed by AI, not eliminated. Workers who don't adapt face competitive displacement, not unemployment.
Human-Centric Resilience
58% of jobs (169 of 291) are classified as human-centric — requiring empathy, physical presence, creative judgment, or unpredictable decision-making. These roles consistently score lower on both displacement and replacement metrics.
Automation Type Distribution
267 jobs (92%) face primarily AI-driven automation. 9 jobs face combined AI + Robotics pressure. 10 jobs are classified as “Neither” — resistant to both AI and robotic automation in the near term.
AI Adoption as Defense
The FAIR Framework's personal risk calculator shows that early AI adoption can reduce individual displacement risk by up to 15 percentage points. AI exposure is the single largest personal modifier — more impactful than experience, education, or management level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of jobs are at high risk from AI?
According to the FAIR Framework analysis of 291 jobs across 26 industries, 41% of jobs (119 out of 291) face Critical or High AI displacement risk, meaning significant portions of these roles can be performed by current or near-term AI systems. This aligns with research from Goldman Sachs (300 million jobs affected globally) and McKinsey (30% of hours worked could be automated by 2030).
Which jobs are most at risk from AI in 2026?
The most at-risk jobs by AI displacement score are: Data Entry Clerk (98%), Telemarketer (96%), Bookkeeper (95%), Virtual Assistant (95%), Bank Teller (94%), and Cashier (94%). These roles have high task overlap with current AI capabilities and face both high displacement risk (competitive pressure from AI-skilled workers) and high replacement risk (full job elimination).
Which jobs are safest from AI?
The safest jobs from AI displacement are roles requiring physical dexterity, deep empathy, or unpredictable environments: Dancer/Choreographer (17%), Tattoo Artist (17%), Sculptor (23%), Yoga Instructor (23%), Archaeologist (23%), and Biomedical Engineer (26%). These roles have strong human-centric requirements that resist current AI capabilities.
What is the difference between AI displacement and AI replacement?
Displacement measures competitive pressure — how much harder your job becomes if you don't use AI tools. Replacement measures full job elimination. The average displacement score across 291 jobs is 61.4%, while the average replacement score is only 43.6%. This 18-point gap shows most jobs won't disappear, but will change dramatically — workers who don't adapt face being outcompeted by those who do.
Which industries are most affected by AI?
The top 5 most affected industries by average AI displacement score are: Office & Administrative Support (90.2%), Finance & Accounting (84.2%), Retail, Sales & Customer Support (82.3%), Marketing & Public Relations (78.7%), and Technology & IT (74.8%). The least affected are Personal Care & Services (34.4%), Science & Research (37.8%), and Engineering & Architecture (41.2%).
How many jobs did What About AI? analyze?
The FAIR Framework (Futurist-Informed AI Risk), developed by James Perkins, analyzed 291 specific job roles across 26 industries. Each job received two independent scores: a displacement score and a replacement score. The analysis draws from curated futurist predictions filtered for 90%+ accuracy, hands-on AI capability testing, and economic research from Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, the World Economic Forum, and more.
See Your Personal Risk Score
These are aggregate statistics. Your individual risk depends on your experience, AI adoption, and role specifics.
Scores calculated using the FAIR Framework — Futurist-Informed AI Risk methodology by James Perkins.