AI Job Risk Index AI Job Risk Index

Weekly AI Job Risk Summary

Week: May 20, 2026

This week’s AI job risk update is mostly stable, with only small relative moves across occupations. The clearest signals came from product and workflow news: OpenAI’s reorganization to unify ChatGPT and Codex, plus continuing discussion of “vibe coding,” slightly increased pressure on coding-adjacent and digital content roles tied to drafting, testing, and routine software production. At the same time, enterprise coverage around data sovereignty and agentic AI in financial services reinforced that many deployments still need human oversight, governance, and regulated data controls, which modestly reduced replacement risk for some higher-trust analytical jobs. Defense-focused AR developments from Anduril and Meta highlighted AI as an augmentation layer for military decision-making rather than full substitution, supporting lower near-term risk for command roles. Overall, the latest news still points to the same pattern in searches for jobs AI will replace, jobs at risk from AI, AI job risk, and AI-proof jobs: routine digital work remains most exposed, while regulated, physical, and relationship-heavy work remains comparatively more resilient.

This Week in Context

These paragraphs turn the weekly table into a readable explanation of where automation pressure broadened, narrowed, or stayed steady.

The weekly average risk moved upward, which suggests pressure broadened rather than staying isolated to only a few roles.

The clearest upward pressure appeared in Software Tester, Copywriter, Content Writer. Moves like these often show where AI is taking on more repeatable drafting, comparison, coordination, or first-pass analytical work.

Relative pressure eased most in Insurance Underwriter, Financial Analyst, Investment Analyst. That does not make these roles permanently safe, but it does suggest this week's signals were less aggressive than in the roles moving upward.

Urban Planner, Urban Farmer, Investment Banker changed little and help anchor the baseline for this week. Stable roles matter because they show where the ranking is holding its shape even while other parts of the market move.

Read these paragraphs together with the linked news and the full ranking. The point is not a one-week prediction of replacement, but a clearer view of where automation pressure is concentrating first.

How to Read This Week

This report works best when you read the summary, score movement, and linked news together. Treat it as a weekly reading of changing automation pressure, not as a one-week prediction that a profession will immediately disappear.

Weekly Average Risk

44.86

Week-over-week change

+0.06

Jobs moving up

18

Jobs moving down

6

Jobs unchanged

180

Trend

The chart shows how the overall weekly average has moved. It helps separate a broad market shift from changes limited to a smaller set of jobs.

Where Pressure Rose First

These jobs posted the strongest upward moves this week. Read them as signs of where automation pressure is tightening fastest right now.

Where Pressure Eased

These jobs moved downward this week. A lower score does not mean the role is safe forever, but it does suggest less immediate pressure relative to the prior week.

Roles That Stayed Relatively Steady

These jobs changed little this week and help anchor the broader picture. Stability often matters as much as movement when judging whether a shift is broad or narrow.

This Week Ranking

Use the full ranking as a current snapshot of relative pressure across jobs. The score alone matters less than the combination of score, week-over-week change, and the task mix behind the role.

Rank Job Risk Score Last Week Change
1 Scheduler 86 86 +0
2 Call Center Agent 85 85 +0
3 Customer Support Representative 82 82 +0
4 Data Entry Clerk 81 81 +0
5 Telemarketer 81 81 +0
6 Office Clerk 79 79 +0
7 Customer Support 78 78 +0
8 Software Tester 78 77 +1
9 Copywriter 78 77 +1
10 Retail Cashier 78 78 +0
11 Bookkeeper 77 77 +0
12 Truck Driver 77 77 +0
13 Administrative Assistant 76 76 +0
14 Accounting Clerk 76 76 +0
15 Data Analyst 76 76 +0
16 Content Writer 75 74 +1
17 Proofreader 75 75 +0
18 Court Reporter 75 75 +0
19 Receptionist 74 74 +0
20 Translator 73 73 +0
21 Paralegal 73 73 +0
22 Civil Drafter 73 73 +0
23 Delivery Driver 73 73 +0
24 Insurance Underwriter 72 73 -1
25 Social Media Manager 71 70 +1
26 SEO Specialist 71 70 +1
27 Digital Marketer 71 70 +1
28 Illustrator 71 70 +1
29 Taxi Driver 71 71 +0
30 Travel Agent 70 70 +0
31 QA Engineer 70 69 +1
32 Bank Teller 69 69 +0
33 Mobile App Developer 69 68 +1
34 Tax Preparer 68 68 +0
35 Animator 68 67 +1
36 Software Engineer 67 66 +1
37 System Administrator 67 67 +0
38 Train Operator 67 67 +0
39 Warehouse Operator 65 65 +0
40 Legal Assistant 65 65 +0
41 Surveying Technician 64 64 +0
42 Business Analyst 63 63 +0
43 Compensation Analyst 63 63 +0
44 Database Administrator 63 63 +0
45 IT Support Specialist 63 63 +0
46 Programmer 62 61 +1
47 Accountant 62 62 +0
48 Marketing Specialist 62 61 +1
49 Composer 62 62 +0
50 Financial Analyst 61 62 -1
51 Procurement Specialist 61 61 +0
52 Bus Driver 61 61 +0
53 Journalist 60 60 +0
54 Recruiter 60 60 +0
55 Logistics Coordinator 60 60 +0
56 Interpreter 60 60 +0
57 Technical Writer 60 59 +1
58 UI Designer 60 60 +0
59 Graphic Designer 59 58 +1
60 Editor 59 58 +1
61 Loan Officer 59 59 +0
62 Web Developer 58 57 +1
63 Radiologist 58 58 +0
64 Stock Trader 57 57 +0
65 Claims Adjuster 56 56 +0
66 Advertising Specialist 56 56 +0
67 Quality Assurance Specialist 56 56 +0
68 Insurance Agent 55 55 +0
69 Market Research Analyst 55 55 +0
70 Supply Chain Manager 55 55 +0
71 Game Developer 55 55 +0
72 Sound Engineer 55 55 +0
73 Music Producer 54 54 +0
74 Climate Analyst 54 54 +0
75 Supply Chain Analyst 53 53 +0
76 Industrial Engineer 53 53 +0
77 Network Engineer 53 53 +0
78 Model 52 52 +0
79 Laboratory Technician 52 52 +0
80 Power Plant Operator 52 52 +0
81 Hr Specialist 50 50 +0
82 Pharmacist 50 50 +0
83 Investment Analyst 50 51 -1
84 Training Specialist 50 50 +0
85 Farmer 50 50 +0
86 Video Editor 49 48 +1
87 Instructional Designer 49 49 +0
88 Auditor 48 49 -1
89 Warehouse Manager 48 48 +0
90 Miner 48 48 +0
91 Research Assistant 47 47 +0
92 Pilot 47 47 +0
93 Marketing Manager 46 46 +0
94 Property Manager 46 46 +0
95 Management Consultant 46 46 +0
96 Meteorologist 46 46 +0
97 Retail Salesperson 45 45 +0
98 Human Resources Manager 45 45 +0
99 Operations Manager 45 45 +0
100 Fashion Designer 45 45 +0
101 Construction Worker 45 45 +0
102 Curriculum Developer 44 44 +0
103 Medical Assistant 44 44 +0
104 Archivist 43 43 +0
105 Urban Farmer 43 43 +0
106 Water Treatment Operator 43 43 +0
107 UX Designer 42 42 +0
108 Fisherman 42 42 +0
109 Real Estate Broker 41 41 +0
110 Manufacturing Engineer 41 41 +0
111 Interior Designer 41 41 +0
112 Lawyer 40 41 -1
113 Investment Banker 40 40 +0
114 Librarian 40 40 +0
115 Barista 40 40 +0
116 Veterinary Assistant 40 40 +0
117 Project Manager 39 39 +0
118 Sustainability Consultant 39 39 +0
119 DevOps Engineer 39 39 +0
120 Economist 38 38 +0
121 Urban Planner 38 38 +0
122 Cook 38 38 +0
123 Data Scientist 37 37 +0
124 Waste Management Specialist 37 37 +0
125 Cloud Engineer 37 37 +0
126 Architect 36 36 +0
127 Sales Representative 36 36 +0
128 Actor 36 36 +0
129 Baker 36 36 +0
130 Teaching Assistant 35 35 +0
131 AI Engineer 35 35 +0
132 Tour Guide 35 35 +0
133 Mechanical Engineer 34 34 +0
134 Brand Manager 34 34 +0
135 Electrical Engineer 34 34 +0
136 Automotive Technician 34 34 +0
137 Ship Captain 34 34 +0
138 Agricultural Scientist 34 34 +0
139 Product Manager 33 33 +0
140 Tutor 33 33 +0
141 Welder 33 33 +0
142 Chemist 33 33 +0
143 Civil Engineer 32 32 +0
144 Construction Manager 32 32 +0
145 Hotel Manager 32 32 +0
146 Real Estate Agent 31 31 +0
147 Security Guard 31 31 +0
148 Renewable Energy Technician 31 31 +0
149 Mechanic 30 30 +0
150 Waiter 30 30 +0
151 Environmental Scientist 30 30 +0
152 Sociologist 29 29 +0
153 Energy Engineer 29 29 +0
154 Customer Success Manager 28 28 +0
155 Historian 28 28 +0
156 Career Counselor 28 28 +0
157 Robotics Engineer 28 28 +0
158 Ship Engineer 28 28 +0
159 Biologist 28 28 +0
160 Anthropologist 27 27 +0
161 Photographer 26 26 +0
162 Flight Attendant 26 26 +0
163 Bartender 26 26 +0
164 Geologist 26 26 +0
165 Prosecutor 25 25 +0
166 Museum Curator 24 24 +0
167 Carpenter 24 24 +0
168 Housekeeper 24 24 +0
169 Physicist 24 24 +0
170 HVAC Technician 24 24 +0
171 Cybersecurity Analyst 23 23 +0
172 Teacher 22 22 +0
173 Detective 22 22 +0
174 Aircraft Mechanic 22 22 +0
175 Chef 22 22 +0
176 Astronomer 22 22 +0
177 Film Director 21 21 +0
178 Elevator Technician 21 21 +0
179 Machine Learning Engineer 20 20 +0
180 Social Worker 20 20 +0
181 Air Traffic Controller 20 20 +0
182 Fitness Trainer 20 20 +0
183 Doctor 19 19 +0
184 Professor 18 18 +0
185 Veterinarian 17 17 +0
186 School Counselor 16 16 +0
187 Psychiatrist 16 16 +0
188 Athletic Coach 16 16 +0
189 Nurse 15 15 +0
190 Police Officer 15 15 +0
191 Dentist 15 15 +0
192 Paramedic 14 14 +0
193 Diplomat 14 14 +0
194 Electrician 12 12 +0
195 Judge 12 12 +0
196 Psychologist 12 12 +0
197 Politician 12 12 +0
198 Plumber 11 11 +0
199 Therapist 11 11 +0
200 Mayor 11 11 +0
201 Surgeon 10 10 +0
202 Military Officer 10 11 -1
203 Firefighter 10 10 +0
204 Governor 10 10 +0

AI News Used In This Weekly Evaluation

The articles below are the main signals used in this week's evaluation. Read them as context for why pressure rose, fell, or stayed stable.

I’m a Normie. Can Normies Really Vibe Code?

Wired / 2026-05-18

Inside Anduril and Meta’s quest to make smart glasses for warfare

MIT Technology Review / 2026-05-18

What to expect from Google this week

MIT Technology Review / 2026-05-18

Elon Musk Loses Landmark Lawsuit Against OpenAI

Wired / 2026-05-18

Some Asexuals Are Using AI Companions for Intimacy Without the Sex

Wired / 2026-05-16

The Real Losers of the Musk v. Altman Trial

Wired / 2026-05-15

Mira Murati Wants Her AI to ‘Keep Humans in the Loop’

Wired / 2026-05-15

How Chinese short dramas became AI content machines

MIT Technology Review / 2026-05-15

Greg Brockman Officially Takes Control of OpenAI’s Products in Latest Shakeup

Wired / 2026-05-15

Musk v. Altman week 3: Musk and Altman traded blows over each other’s credibility. Now the jury will pick a side.

MIT Technology Review / 2026-05-15

Meta’s New Reality: Record High Profits. Record Low Morale

Wired / 2026-05-14

The shock of seeing your body used in deepfake porn 

MIT Technology Review / 2026-05-14

Gen Z Is Pioneering a New Understanding of Truth

Wired / 2026-05-14

AI Promised the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Wristwatch. China Will Deliver It

Wired / 2026-05-14

Data readiness for agentic AI in financial services

MIT Technology Review / 2026-05-14

Establishing AI and data sovereignty in the age of autonomous systems

MIT Technology Review / 2026-05-14

Trump’s Tech Posse in China, Who’s Winning in Musk v. Altman, and Hantavirus Conspiracy Theories

Wired / 2026-05-14

An Engineer’s Post Protesting Laptop Surveillance Is Going Viral Inside Meta

Wired / 2026-05-14

What It Will Take to Make AI Sustainable

Wired / 2026-05-13

Everyone at the Musk v. Altman Trial Is Using Fancy Butt Cushions

Wired / 2026-05-13

Past Weeks