Jobs Vulnerable to Artificial Intelligence Advancements
In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI), there's an intense debate about its impact on the job market. As AI transforms various sectors, some jobs remain relatively safe from automation, primarily those requiring physical labor, manual dexterity, complex human judgment, empathy, or environmental interaction.
According to a 2025 Microsoft study and other sources, occupations such as roofers, dredge operators, bridge and lock tenders, water treatment plant operators, surgical assistants, massage therapists, and certain equipment operators are among the least impacted by AI. These jobs involve tasks AI cannot easily replicate due to their physical nature, the need for human empathy, or the requirement for complex decision-making and contextual judgment.
Fields like healthcare, emergency services, manual trades, renewable energy, cybersecurity, education, and creative arts also remain safer from automation. The human element in these sectors, such as the need for empathy, dexterity, complex decision-making, and environmental interaction, makes them less susceptible to AI takeover.
On the other hand, routine, repetitive, or purely cognitive tasks such as data entry, basic customer service, simple content creation, assembly line operations, and some office roles are at much higher risk of automation. Automated accounting software, AI-powered chatbots, and virtual assistants are already handling many of these tasks, with 95% of customer service interactions predicted to be powered by AI by 2025.
However, it's important to note that while AI can perform many tasks more efficiently, accurately, or cost-effectively than humans, it still struggles with nuanced, physically interactive, or empathetic human work. Jobs requiring high emotional intelligence, empathy, and complex human understanding, such as social workers and counsellors, are difficult to automate.
Similarly, creative professionals like artists, writers, musicians, and designers rely on uniquely human creativity and emotional intelligence, making their jobs less likely to be replaced by AI in the near future. The human element in education, especially in developing critical thinking and social skills, is irreplaceable.
In summary, AI is better suited to automating routine, rule-based, and data-heavy tasks rather than nuanced, physically interactive, or empathetic human work. As we move towards a future workforce that adapts and upskills, the most successful approach will likely involve humans working alongside AI, leveraging the strengths of both.
[1] Microsoft. (2025). The Future Computed: Artificial Intelligence and its Role in Society. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/future-computed/
[2] McKinsey & Company. (2017). Jobs lost, jobs gained: What the future of work will mean for jobs, skills, and wages. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-analytics/our-insights/jobs-lost-jobs-gained-what-the-future-of-work-will-mean-for-jobs-skills-and-wages
[3] World Economic Forum. (2018). The Future of Jobs Report 2018. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2018
[4] Deloitte. (2018). The Future of Work: A Pragmatic Approach. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/us-future-of-work-pragmatic-approach.pdf
[5] PwC. (2017). The New Equation: Jobs, Automation, and Artificial Intelligence. Retrieved from https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/consulting/library/future-of-work/future-of-work-jobs-automation-artificial-intelligence.html
- Despite the increasing use of digital transformation in finance and business through AI, occupations requiring empathy, complex decision-making, and environmental interaction, such as counselors, social workers, and artists, remain less likely to be automated.
- As digital transformation advances in the technology sector, sectors like healthcare, education, and creative arts, which heavily rely on human empathy, dexterity, and critical thinking, are expected to be less impacted by AI compared to routine, repetitive, or purely cognitive tasks like data entry, customer service, and content creation.
