Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved beyond the realm of science fiction, embedding itself deep into our everyday lives and industries. It’s revolutionizing how work gets done, but not without consequence. Put plainly, AI is poised to upend job markets worldwide.
Based on a report by McKinsey & Company, by 2030, approximately 25% of all jobs in the United States could be automated. That’s around 36 million jobs that may no longer require human input, impacting manufacturing and customer service industries. Here are 15 careers AI will likely take over in the next decade.
Data Entry Clerks
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) advances have made big strides in moving data entry tasks away from humans. The World Economic Forum (WEF) conducted a study finding data entry roles among the top 5 roles that could see huge automation between 2015 and 2025.
AI-powered systems, like UiPath and ABBYY, can now input, sort, and manage data more accurately and efficiently than human clerks.
Fast Food Workers
The fast food industry’s order-taking and food preparation tasks are already being automated. For example, McDonald’s has implemented AI-powered kiosks in hundreds of locations.
DailyMail reports that Miso Robotics’ “Flippy,” an AI robot, can cook up to 300 burgers daily. Restaurant automation speeds up service and reduces costs—an attractive proposition for businesses operating on slim margins.
Bank Tellers
Banking roles, particularly bank tellers, are being phased out in favor of AI-driven services. ATMs, apps, and smart kiosks make everyday banking fast and convenient without the need for human tellers.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bank teller employment is expected to decline by 15% by 2033.
Warehouse and Manufacturing Workers
Automation has long been transforming manufacturing, but advances in AI-powered robots, like Boston Dynamics’ Spot or Amazon’s robotics fleet, are propelling the shift faster than ever.
PwC estimates that up to 45% of all work activities can be automated, saving $2 trillion in global workforce costs.
Bookkeepers and Accountants
QuickBooks and Expensify are AI-powered software that reduce bookkeeping workload by automating processes like expense categorization, report generation, and tax compliance, which are usually checked by a human bookkeeper. This automation enhances efficiency and allows professionals to focus on more strategic activities.
While specific forecasts vary, the integration of AI in accounting is expected to impact the demand for traditional bookkeeping roles significantly. For example, according to a Forbes article, some AI functions can automate core tasks, such as transaction entry and reconciliation, holding a promise that we may be able to minimize human involvement in those areas of work.
Courier and Delivery Drivers
The rise of autonomous vehicles and drones is reshaping last-mile logistics. Companies like Tesla, Waymo, and Amazon are piloting programs for driverless delivery, while Uber Eats has begun testing food delivery robots.
Deutsche Post DHL Group projects a significant surge in autonomous delivery adoption within the next five years.
Proofreaders and Translators
AI tools like Grammarly and DeepL are revolutionizing proofreading and translation processes. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, they offer accuracy and speed that were previously unattainable.
Forbes notes that while human editors remain valuable for nuanced projects, routine tasks will increasingly be offloaded to AI.
Travel Agents
Consumer behavior has dramatically shifted toward AI-guided travel booking platforms like Expedia and Booking.com. These platforms constantly update itineraries and prices in real-time, offering personalized options to travelers.
A report by Phocuswright indicates that traditional travel agent employment has dropped by 27% over the past decade.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
AI in the legal field is reshaping how litigators access case law and prepare arguments. Tools like Casetext and ROSS Intelligence allow lawyers to conduct legal research in seconds rather than hours.
Gartner estimates that by 2026, 50% of office workers in global enterprises will be AI-augmented in some form.
Administrative Assistants
Administrative tasks—from appointment scheduling to email management—are increasingly dominated by AI virtual assistants, such as Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana, and Amelia.
Businesses see these tools as cost-efficient alternatives to employing human assistants.
Insurance Underwriters
The insurance industry is being revolutionized by AI underwriting systems that can process data rapidly to determine risks and policy eligibility more quickly than human methods. For example, companies such as Lemonade have started using AI to approve policies instantly with their customers, improving the overall customer experience and operational efficiency.
While specific projections vary, the integration of AI in underwriting is expected to significantly impact employment in the sector. For instance, McKinsey estimates that AI technologies could add up to $1.1 trillion in annual value for the global insurance industry, with approximately $400 billion coming from pricing, underwriting, and promotion technology upgrades.
Radiology Technicians
AI’s capabilities in analyzing medical imagery are advancing rapidly. Algorithms like those from Zebra Medical or Google’s DeepMind are identifying patterns in CT scans and MRIs with remarkable precision.
A Stanford study revealed that specific AI systems now outperform radiologists in identifying pneumonia symptoms in chest X-rays. With time, these systems could take over this job market.
Customer Service Representatives
Voice and chat AI systems, like those developed by Zendesk and Salesforce, are increasingly taking over customer service tasks. Juniper Research predicts that businesses could save $11 billion in costs annually through automated customer service by 2025.
Because these platforms are available 24/7, their appeal to businesses continues to grow.
Telemarketers
Telemarketing jobs are becoming virtually obsolete with the rise of AI-powered conversational agents, such as those developed by companies like LivePerson or Twilio. Gartner reports that chatbots will become the primary customer service channel for roughly a quarter of organizations by 2027.
Customers prefer talking to bots that can resolve their queries quickly rather than traditional telemarketers who just keep calling incessantly.
Retail Cashiers
The rise of AI-assisted self-checkout kiosks and platforms like Amazon Go, which utilize “Just Walk Out” technology, is transforming the retail landscape by reducing the reliance on human cashiers. A Deloitte report highlights that 91% of retail leaders view AI as the top game-changing technology for the next three years, with expectations that by 2025, 20% of top-performing retailers will employ AI to enhance customer experiences.
However, the widespread implementation of self-checkout systems has introduced challenges, including increased loss rates due to theft.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
12 Things Warren Buffett Says Poor People Waste Money On
12 Things Warren Buffett Says Poor People Waste Money On
How To Save Money Fast – 26 Easy Tips
How To Save Money Fast – 26 Easy Tips
How To Make Money as a Kid: 25 Ways
How To Make Money as a Kid: 25 Ways
