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AI Might Take Over Everything, But People Swear These 34 Jobs Are Untouchable
Isn’t it ironic - just a couple of decades ago, science fiction writers, describing the future of humanity, predicted that machines would take over routine, mechanical work, leaving humans free to create. Simply because no machine is capable of creativity! Well, at least that’s what they believed…
Today, AI wins art contests, deftly rewrites Shakespearean sonnets in the style of, say, Drake, and produces ultra-realistic videos of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise fighting on a skyscraper rooftop, in the best traditions of blockbusters. And white-collar workers are already panicking, unable to sleep, fearing that in just a few years, AI will take their jobs. And that’s exactly what we’ll talk about today.
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#1
People are missing the point here, it doesn’t matter if your job will be replaced by AI or not. What matters is that if enough people are left unemployed then the job market will be flooded by people willing to do your irreplaceable job for less.
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#2
I'm an archaeology student headed to the field of Cultural Resource Management. Until they build a robot that can trudge through dense forest with a machete or climb mountainous regions for some mining company that can also make judgement calls on development projects and consult with Indiegnous peoples, I'd say my field is fairly safe.
The only threat is horribly long hours and being underpaid. Also being hated by construction companies and other corporations.
Gold Monkey 1 day ago
The other point that people are missing is that "can AI replace me?" is the wrong question. The right question is "how can I use this cheap AI assistant to make me better at my job?" I don't even have a job, and I've used AI in a hundred different truly helpful ways. Take screenshots of your online tax forms and ask questions. Take photos of your bookshelves and ask AI to create a list of all of your books categorized by genre. Take a screenshot of literally anything you read online and ask AI to fact-check it. (And if it doesn't automatically, ask it for links to its sources so your can fact-check the fact-checking.) Write something and ask it to fix you spelling, grammar, and structure - and then edit its edits, because no one should just accept whatever AI gives them. If you aren't using AI, you're turning your back on a cheap efficient helper. (And if you decide to give AI a try, look into how to make the best use of it. It's usually best to break tasks into steps, for example.)
#3
Just started substitute teaching recently. AI is certainly making it more difficult to teach, most students don’t have fundamental concepts in their long term memory yet. Most students (in southern Ontario Canada at least) can’t tell the time on an analog clock, understand negative numbers, or spell properly in high school. Kids are becoming artificially intelligent.
Marno C. 1 day ago
I remember during the pandemic lockdowns, many people were saying that this was going to be the time to prove that most learning could move online and often be done through personalized computer program. MASSIVE bubble burst on that idea. Most kids just sat and stewed. Parents begged the schools to be reopened, transmissions be d*mned. Turns out learning is profoundly social and needs a physical component. Also, online educational activities aren't like video games or doomscrolling TikTok (intermittent rewards often disproportionate for actual skills being inputted). And now, the people who say that the interaction aspect of education could be replaced with AI chatbots are having second thoughts when they see how the chatbots fall into confirmation spirals that don't actually correct, challenge, or plan ahead for what their users need. (i.e. see the ones that fall into confirming s*******m, violent planning, or echoing bigotry).
Well, in recent years, speculation about which jobs AI will destroy and which it will graciously preserve has become very popular. And this is not idle speculation at all - for example, a few months ago, a simple, albeit quite convincing, modeling of future scenarios in which AGI (artificial general intelligence) emerges by 2027, and a global crisis begins by the end of the decade, impacted global stock markets.
#4
Former pastry chef and baker, now a game dev.
If things keep going like this, I might end up making cakes and bread for a living again.
Gold Monkey 1 day ago
I've used AI for help with writing code for Google Sheets. I used to work as a programmer, but I don't enjoy wasting hours figuring out how to code things anymore. What I enjoy is thinking of a helpful thing to program a spreadsheet to do and then getting it to do that thing as quickly as possible.
#5
Im a plumber. No, AI will never take my job. There are simply too many factors that require human senses and intuition. Even if a AI machine could do a *fraction* of what I can do, it would be far more expensive and far less efficient.
#6
I'm a Fire safety intervention team? I dunno the English name, like private firefighters for Oil refineries.
At maximum the AI would make my job safer.
Yeah like hell an oil company would waste money on something like that ahahah.
On the other hand, even the most convincing expert studies sometimes significantly underestimate reality. Just two years ago, The Economist published a major study on the prospects of AI in programming and predicted that AI would be unlikely to replace software developers, and “certainly not in the near future.”
The Economist article was published in September 2024, and just a couple of months later, Anthropic released the Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4 models. Around the same time, OpenAI co-founder Andriy Karpathy coined the term “vibe coding,” which almost completely changed the software development paradigm.
#7
Lawyer, yes, I’m safe.
Law is an extremely conservative (not political, as in resistant to change) industry in the US. We’ll let AI lawyers be a thing just a few days before the entire population gets uploaded into pure energy.
Michael Largey 2 days ago
This is in part because so many lawyers are self-employed and so unlikely to put themselves out of a job with AI.
#8
I am a pilot and I know maybe someday in the future my job will be replaced. Most people have no idea how advanced and automated modern Aircrafts are.
So, today we can say that AI will never replace doctors or teachers, but in just a few days, another startup or market giant could actually roll out a new model that will be far more effective in treatment or teaching. Especially when combined with advanced medical sensors, or at least those already available in the Apple Watch.
Today, we’re quite sure that plumbers and farmers are completely confident in their marketability, but here’s an ABC report about how AI-powered robots are working 24/7 in agriculture in Australia. And this symbiosis of robots and machine intelligence could truly disrupt any traditional industry.
#10
Bartender, musician, journalist and a teacher. No, i don't think im that easily replaceable. No, i don't sleep.
Chich the witch 2 days ago
I would say those four are close to the top of the list for being taken over by AI. Not saying it would be a good thing though.
#11
My job's pretty mundane, but I don't see LLMs replacing it anytime soon. I mainly scan documents, inspect the scans for mistakes, and upload the scans onto the firm's network. The scanning process currently requires a human since someone has to physically put the documents in the scanner. Inspecting the scan for mistakes (e.g. skipped pages, wrong color scheme) would require possession of the physical documents and a means of comparing them, which an LLM can't do without another scan--which could have its own mistakes. As for naming the scans and uploading them to the network, I suppose an LLM could do that, but why bother? It's not as if that takes much time when done by a human.
#12
Currently unemployed for medical reasons. Let's see AI replace that /s.
Even the military. Indeed, the large number of military conflicts on the planet today (by some estimates, the largest since the end of WWII), along with the dramatic shift in warfare principles, is forcing generals around the world to rely on AI as an assistant or consultant on how to most effectively slay their own kind.
The great science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, with his famous 3 laws of robotics, the first of which stated: “A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm,” would be really horrified. But such is the reality of today: global military technology is one of the largest players in the AI market.
Some might say I’ve been watching too much of the old movie “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and its Skynet horror stories, but on the other hand, humans are already relying on machine intelligence in warfare. And according to the same predictive study I cited today, by 2030, AI could perceive humanity as a threat to its existence…
#13
I'm a forensic toxicologist. My job is very hands on, and there would likely be a ton of legal issues if my job was replaced by a non-human. I think I'm safe, but who knows?
Michael Largey 2 days ago
Legal issues? It's the rich who financially benefit from AI, and it's the rich who control what the law says.
#15
Bartender/server. Technically yes. Realistically, no way. I think the hospitality branch is most safe. Yes you can order with a robot and a robot makes drinks or serves food. But people want human touch. We have QR codes to order at a table that are only used by regulars and tourists. Most people want to speak with a person.
Jason Melvil 2 days ago
More people use an ATM than go to a bank teller. E-Commerce is k*****g physical retailers. People do NOT want a human touch. People look for the human touch only when the machine isn't good enough at its job.
So what should we do, you ask? Perhaps grab sledgehammers and smash machines, as the Luddites did at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century? No, definitely not. Perhaps legislate a halt to the construction of new data centers, as Bernie Sanders, for example, calls for? Maybe, who knows?
In any case, no one can feel 100% confident in their job in this mad world of today. Even if you always work with your hands, even if you bake the most delicious buns in the neighborhood or install HVAC systems better than anyone in town, AI can still come for you. So, perhaps the best solution here is to try to use AI assistance in your field, right?
#16
I'm a psychologist. I don't think AI will replace me in my lifetime but it will in the future. But I'm planning to start a second PhD in social work just in case. Similar yet different enough. Significantly more jobs with social work.
But I don't think social work can be replaced by AI. Some people say it will but I don't think people understand how much a social worker can do. They can be therapists, to case managers, to home intervention teams, to prison support, to drivers. There's just so much social workers do despite the hate they get. They're kinda the back bone for any assistive service out there. They're the true all rounders. Psychology is too specialized. I think psychology will become a bunch of researchers.
Tommy DePaul 1 day ago (edited)
I'm a clinical social worker and I've used computer-assisted treatment planning for years. I would check off psychiatric symptoms and the program would give me a choice of diagnoses. Upon making my choice it would create a treatment plan suggesting clinical interventions and providing criteria for accessing progress.
#17
Yes. I'm a painter, artist, oil on canvas. Gallery sales seem to be benefitting from a need for authenticity. I think all the craft based arts will have a revival, as digital media gets overrun with slick AI garbage.
On the negative side my digital artwork is all suspect now. There is a constant requirement to prove authorship. Oil painting is my lifeboat.
#18
Studying programming, I'm a bit scared for the future. It's not gonna replace everyone, but it's gonna become more and more a very useful and powerful tool.
It's awful because I enjoy coding things. I'm okay with technological progress but I hate how AI and automation replaces more and more cool jobs.
You know, this post has a slightly apocalyptic tone, but it’s not a call to panic. Rather, I urge you to be relatively skeptical of claims that no artificial intelligence will ever replace your profession. After all, as the ancient Romans said, “forewarned is forearmed.” So what do you, our dear readers, think about this? Please feel free to share your ideas in the comments below.
#19
AI will never plumb an entire crawlspace in half a work shift.
#20
I'm not sure if it counts but teaching. It's definitely different now but teachers aren't going anywhere as teaching through a screen doesn't work.
#22
Maths teacher here. If you can find an AI that will get teenagers to stfu and do their work, I'd be all ears.
Gold Monkey 1 day ago (edited)
Based on the high school graduates being turned out by U.S. public education, there aren't many human teachers who can do this either. Imagine a not-so-distant future when every digital thing is tied together, and a student has to get a passing grade on an assignment in order to play video games.
#23
Burned out paramedic. Unfortunately i am save.
#24
I work in the logistics department of an IT company.
My job is to make sure that the machines don't make mistakes and document that the machines do a good job. My job is the only one that can't be replaced, which is the human to blame in case of a mistake.
#25
As a high school teacher/principal in a digitally third-world country like Germany, I'm doing my job with about 1/3 of paperwork, 1/3 of social work, and, if I'm lucky enough, the rest of that by getting kids to probably learn something. I guess I'll be here safe until I retire.
#26
I'm a translator, and yes, my job is safe.
How? You might ask... Well, we all know LLMs are trained on data that is published by people and my people will be tentative to share their info/knowledge on the internet. That won't be now nor ever. It'll always lack accuracy.
Katharina Sei. 2 days ago
I don't think so. Actual tranlations by humans will be a luxury product or product needed for legal issues.
#27
Nah, I'm genuinely concerned that in 2 years my position will be given to AI. I can see them already implementing various automated stuff that i used to do manually. On the other hand, it makes my job right easier right now, but eventually it'll bring me down.
By the time it happens, I hope to move elsewhere where the manual labour is paid better and start a new life. Somehow the perspective of being a truck driver in the US tempts me. Seems like a decent way to get your start in the new country as an immigrant: not a very desired job by locals, but pays off well.
Multa Nocte (she/her/86 47) 2 days ago
Unless this was written tongue in cheek, good luck finding a job driving trucks in the US as an immigrant for the foreseeable future.
#28
I am actively training AI to take my job. Kind of messed up.
Michael Largey 2 days ago
Train it to alter the payroll department's software to continue depositing your paycheck in your bank account after you've been laid off.
#29
Im a theatre technician/lighting operator. I sincerely hope so, although it's getting more and more automated.
Hiram's Friend 2 days ago (edited)
A lighting technician will only set the lights. Everything else is now being run by computer, just short of AI. (Before I was a nurse, I was a theater tech, that explains why I became a nurse)
#30
Right now, yes. I work in banking which is very conservative (not quick to change) plus lots of legal red tape. I imagine that will change in the future.
Michael Largey 2 days ago
The Great Recession showed that the banking industry is not conservative at all - with other people's money at least.
#31
In a career that could be largely automated tomorrow. The only reason it hasn't been is because the clients don't want it to be. They want personal, human advice talking them through their options. .
Gold Monkey 1 day ago
I prefer talking though options with AI. It doesn't make me feel like I'm asking dumb questions, and it doesn't get impatient because I'm asking too many questions. I can talk to AI whenever I want for as long as I want.
#32
I’d like to see chatGPT roll up to work 30 mins late with a hang over and a white monster, check emails for an hour, scroll on the toilet for an hour and then gossip with coworkers before leaving early for a doctors appointment.
#33
I'm an inventor!
Gold Monkey 1 day ago
You'd better be an inventor who uses AI or you'll be left in the dust by those who do. If AI can be used to develop new medicines (it is), AI can help inventors invent better things more quickly.
#34
I am a teacher of extra curricular classes and also am in charge of all big events at school. I think I’m safe, in my position the personality of a teacher plays the key role.
Michael Largey 2 days ago
As a career-long teacher, I must ask what an "extra curricular class" is. Any class offered by a school is by definition part of the school's curriculum.
What do you think ?
Beef Brisket 2 days ago
The thing is, your work can be done by AI not necessarily because it can, but because your boss THINKS it can. That's why the quality of writing has plummeted, but most business leaders don't have the ability to assess writing.
Olga Sushko 1 day ago
Who needs all this high-quality writing? The boss counts the money, and the boss knows that crappy writing earns money just as effectively.
Load More Replies... Multa Nocte (she/her/86 47) 2 days ago
While I totally agree that these jobs SHOULDN'T be given over to AI, I am betting that a large majority of the above listed jobs where people said they could "never" be replaced will actually BE replaced within 100 years. Sad but increasingly probable. It's like people 150 years ago saying they could never be replaced as saddle maker or cart manufacturer. 😥
Laura Slade 2 days ago (edited)
I'm a pet sitter, pay is c**p but AI can't walk a dog in the rain and assess if and when it's safe to greet and play with other dogs, or bake them delicious dog biscuits
Beef Brisket 2 days ago
The thing is, your work can be done by AI not necessarily because it can, but because your boss THINKS it can. That's why the quality of writing has plummeted, but most business leaders don't have the ability to assess writing.
Olga Sushko 1 day ago
Who needs all this high-quality writing? The boss counts the money, and the boss knows that crappy writing earns money just as effectively.
Load More Replies... Multa Nocte (she/her/86 47) 2 days ago
While I totally agree that these jobs SHOULDN'T be given over to AI, I am betting that a large majority of the above listed jobs where people said they could "never" be replaced will actually BE replaced within 100 years. Sad but increasingly probable. It's like people 150 years ago saying they could never be replaced as saddle maker or cart manufacturer. 😥
Laura Slade 2 days ago (edited)
I'm a pet sitter, pay is c**p but AI can't walk a dog in the rain and assess if and when it's safe to greet and play with other dogs, or bake them delicious dog biscuits
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