The Professions That Are
Least Likely to Be Replaced by AI
While artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance and become more commonplace, certain professions remain less susceptible to automation than others. Small business advice company Venture Smarter have compiled a list of ten professions that they believe are the most resistant to being replaced by AI in the near future.
Artists and Performers
While AI systems can comfortably generate art, music, and text, the human element of creativity and the emotional depth behind artistic expression are aspects that AI isn’t able to replicate yet. It is also difficult for AI to replace the roles of those working in creative leisure activities, such as theatre, dance and live music events, as these require a human element in order to be appreciated.
Therapists and Counsellors
Therapists provide a level of empathy, understanding, and emotional support that is difficult to replace with AI. While AI can be quite good at qualitative data extrapolation, it cannot currently build the trust and rapport required for the therapeutic process, nor adapt its approach to suit the needs of the individual client.
AI language models are also likely to encounter difficulty picking up on, and interpreting, subtle non-verbal information such as body language, which therapists and counsellors might observe in person.
Medical Professionals
Although AI can assist in diagnosing conditions, medical professionals such as doctors, surgeons, and nurses have extensive knowledge, experience, and intuition that is vital for complex medical situations. Also, beyond diagnosing and offering treatment, AI cannot provide empathetic care, support and reassurance to patients and their families.
Social Workers and Community Workers
Jobs that involve social work, community outreach, and support services frequently require empathy, cultural understanding, a high level of emotional intelligence, and the ability to build relationships and trust, which AI is currently unable to develop.
Caregivers
Care work can involve lots of physical tasks, but also emotional support and companionship. Caregivers can provide personalized care, which is especially important if the person is unable to communicate verbally, such as with certain forms of autism. They can also offer emphatic reassurance that AI is currently unable to provide.
Teachers
Teachers naturally play a crucial role in facilitating learning. While there are already AI systems that can assist with learning, human teachers can deliver personalized learning experiences and mentoring that can’t yet be matched by AI.
Entrepreneurs
The ability to identify gaps in a market, generate original ideas, and make calculated business decisions are fields where human creativity and judgment still hold significant value. It may well be a very long time before an AI is able to take over in entrepreneurship roles as it would need to take into account ethics in complex situations, knowing when it should and shouldn’t take advantage of a situation.
Managers
Management requires charisma, strategic thinking, and the capability to motivate and encourage teams. Whilst AI can provide valuable data-driven insights, human management is necessary to navigate complex hierarchal business dynamics.
Skilled Tradespeople
Skilled trades such as carpentry, plumbing, and electrician work can involve physical dexterity, problem-solving, and the flexibility to adapt to unique situations. These trades in their very nature are manual or physical jobs, so it would be difficult for AI to replace them in the near future.
Lawyers and Judges
Lawyers and judges require a broad knowledge of laws, regulations, and case precedents. Understanding complex legal concepts, constructing arguments, and representing clients in court involves critical thinking that AI is not currently capable of doing.
A spokesperson for VentureSmarter commented:
“There are some professions that AI will likely not replace. They predominantly involve complex human interactions, creativity, empathy, or specialized manual skills that are difficult to replicate with current AI technologies. While AI may not completely replace the professions from this study, it can still improve them by automating tedious tasks, and offering data-driven insights.”
