Jobs in information, media, and telecommunications have an average Still needs a human score of 65.4 out of 100 (higher is safer), 8.6 points below the average for all jobs of 74.0 and 31st of 37 among the sectors (1st is least exposed). The largest job here is software developers (347,000 workers, 62/100 ↑ safer), and of the jobs more common here than across the economy, customer service representatives is the most exposed (51/100 ↑ safer).
65.4/100↑ safer
20.9%
44.9%
+5.3%
How the work here could shift
The share of workers in this sector whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.
Today
6%
of workers in this sector are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
1%
of workers in this sector would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
88% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
1%
of workers in this sector would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
98% 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
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Show the data
| Year | Largely | Mostly | Partly | A little | Nah |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today (2026) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 20.6% | 73.7% | 5.7% |
| 2030 | 0.0% | 9.9% | 61.3% | 26.3% | 2.5% |
| 2035 | 33.5% | 36.8% | 21.3% | 7.8% | 0.6% |
| 2040 | 69.0% | 21.1% | 7.5% | 1.7% | 0.6% |
| 2045 | 87.5% | 8.9% | 2.1% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| 2050 | 93.6% | 4.8% | 0.1% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| 2055 | 97.6% | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| 2060 | 98.4% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
The largest jobs in information, media, and telecommunications
| # | Job | Still needs a human | Evidence | Could be largely automated | Workers in the sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Developers | 62↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2034–2044 | 347,000 |
| 2 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 54↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2042 | 195,100 |
| 3 | Customer Service Representatives | 51↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2041 | 107,300 |
| 4 | Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers | 78↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2045–2060+ | 95,100 |
| 5 | General and Operations Managers | 72↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2051 | 91,900 |
| 6 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | 67↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2048 | 89,200 |
| 7 | Producers and Directors | 67↑ saferAI replace? A little.workers of 4 related jobs | D | 2036–2048 | 83,700 |
| 8 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 54↑ saferAI replace? Partly.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2034–2042 | 83,000 |
| 9 | Computer User Support Specialists | 62↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2034–2045 | 75,100 |
| 10 | Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 61,600 |
Common jobs here that AI can do most of
| # | Job | Still needs a human | Evidence | Could be largely automated | Workers in the sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer Service Representatives | 51↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2041 | 107,300 |
| 2 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 54↑ saferAI replace? Partly.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2034–2042 | 83,000 |
| 3 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 54↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2042 | 195,100 |
| 4 | Computer Programmers | 55↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2033–2041 | 8,600 |
| 5 | Web Developers | 55↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2033–2041 | 9,400 |
| 6 | Writers and Authors | 56↑ saferAI replace? Partly.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2036–2044 | 11,600 |
| 7 | Technical Writers | 56↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2036–2044 | 5,900 |
| 8 | Web and Digital Interface Designers | 57↑ saferAI replace? Partly.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2033–2042 | 35,200 |
| 9 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 57↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2044 | 13,800 |
| 10 | Database Administrators | 58↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2033–2042 | 5,800 |
Common jobs here that most need a human
| # | Job | Still needs a human | Evidence | Could be largely automated | Workers in the sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 86↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 4,500 |
| 2 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 84↑ saferAI replace? Nah.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2044–2060+ | 8,600 |
| 3 | Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 61,600 |
| 4 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 7,900 |
| 5 | Bartenders | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 3,500 |
| 6 | Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 2,900 |
| 7 | Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2037–2060+ | 3,600 |
| 8 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2044–2060+ | 13,900 |
| 9 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 81↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 4,700 |
| 10 | Security Guards | 80↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 3,000 |
Related sectors: Software and IT services, Professional, scientific, and technical services
How this is worked out
- The average weights every job's Still needs a human score by how many people do it in this sector, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' industry employment data. Jobs cover 98.6% of the sector's employment.
- Job scores are national: an accountant in retail scores the same as an accountant anywhere. The sector figure reflects its mix of jobs, not how its employers use AI; the Census figure shows that.