Microsoft identified professions most vulnerable to replacement by artificial intelligence

Microsoft conducted a large-scale study analyzing around 200,000 user interactions with the built-in Microsoft 365 AI assistant. The goal was to determine which professions are most susceptible to influence and potential replacement by generative AI models.

As a result, a ranking of occupations was compiled based on the so‑called “AI applicability score,” a metric indicating how successfully AI is already used in a specific field.

The most vulnerable professions proved to be those related to information processing, written communication, consulting, and teaching. These include translators, political scientists, historians, writers, call center agents, and sales managers. According to the researchers, in these areas generative models show the highest effectiveness and may in the future perform a significant portion of tasks previously requiring human involvement.

At the same time, professions involving physical labor proved to be the most resilient to automation. In this category are heavy equipment operators, cleaners, roofers, massage therapists, and dishwashers. As noted by the study’s authors, despite relatively low pay, such jobs are less likely to be displaced by AI, because they require motor skills and physical interaction with the environment—areas where AI remains underdeveloped.

Microsoft urges cautious interpretation of the study results. First, the company is actively developing its own AI products, which may influence the perception of the findings as a marketing move. Second, a high AI applicability score does not imply complete replaceability of humans—many professions may use AI as an auxiliary tool rather than a direct substitute.

Thus, the study emphasizes not so much the inevitability of replacing people, but rather the need to adapt to new technologies and rethink the future role of professionals in the era of artificial intelligence.

In particular, professions with a high likelihood of replacement include:

translators,

historians,

political scientists,

sales representatives,

writers,

customer support specialists.

Which professions appear protected?

On the other hand, the most protected proved to be those requiring physical labor and actions difficult for AI to replicate:

heavy machinery operators,

cleaners and housekeepers,

roofers,

massage therapists,

dishwashers.