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needsahuman.

Will AI replace communications equipment operators?

2 jobs scored. On average 12% of the task time in these jobs still needs a person, and the family averages 59 out of 100 on Still needs a human, where higher is safer.

59
Average Still needs a human score, 0 to 100 ↑ safer. Will AI replace them? Partly.
2
Jobs scored in this family
12%
Average share of that still needs a person
38k
US workers in these jobs

How the work could shift in Communications Equipment Operators

The share of US workers in these jobs whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.

Today
0%
of US workers in this family are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
0%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
100% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
0%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
100% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)

Each job's score moves towards the bottom band (Largely: AI could largely do the job) by the year it could be largely automated, slowly at first and faster later, as adoption usually goes. Each job is run as ten scenarios across its replacement range, so every figure mixes early and late outcomes. The model stops at 2060. How the timeline works

Share of US workers in this family in each verdict band, today to 20600%25%50%75%100%2026: 9.1% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)9%2026: 90.9% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)91%Today2030: 90.9% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)91%2030: 9.1% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)9%20302035: 10.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)10%2035: 50.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)50%2035: 40.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)40%20352040: 20.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)20%2040: 80.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)80%20402045: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)100%20452050: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)100%20502055: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)100%20552060: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)100%2060
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Share of US workers in this family whose job would sit in each band, year by year. Updated with every release.
Show the data
YearLargelyMostlyPartlyA littleNah
Today (2026)0.0%0.0%90.9%9.1%0.0%
20300.0%9.1%90.9%0.0%0.0%
203540.0%50.0%10.0%0.0%0.0%
204080.0%20.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2045100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2050100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2055100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2060100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%

Every job in Communications Equipment Operators, ranked

How to read a row: the number is the Still needs a human score, out of 100, higher is safer; “AI replace?” is our answer to “Will AI replace this job?”; the bar is the task split: white AI does it, grey AI helps, amber needs a human.

Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceOffice and Administrative Support · 43-2011
59↑ saferAI replace? Partly.
AI does 23%AI helps 62%Needs a human 15%
20382035–2045
34k
$38,630
Telephone OperatorsOffice and Administrative Support · 43-2021
60↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 92%Needs a human 8%
20382035–2045
3k
$41,740