It’s no secret that artificial intelligence has changed the way people find information, talk to their peers and even plan their weekly to-do lists. The technology also has the power to change your job responsibilities — or get rid of them altogether.
Take Microsoft’s new report, “Working with AI: Measuring the Occupational Implications of Generative AI,” which analyzed the adoption of AI by different workers and its possible impact on their jobs.
Microsoft found that many desk jobs are at risk of being upended, as AI can complete a significant amount of their work duties. Researchers at the tech giant examined 200,000 anonymous and privacy-scrubbed conversations between their chatbot, Bing Copilot, and U.S. users collected between January and September 2024.
“We find the most common work activities people seek AI assistance for involve gathering information and writing, while the most common activities that AI itself is performing are providing information and assistance, writing, teaching, and advising,” researchers wrote in the report.
Based on the findings, these are the top 10 least AI safe jobs — with the highest exposure to the technology:
- Interpreters and Translators
- Historians
- Passenger Attendants
- Sales Representatives of Services
- Writers and Authors
- Customer Service Representatives
- Computer Numerical Controller (CNC) Tool Programmers
- Telephone Operators
- Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Broadcast Announcers and Radio DJs
“Interpreters and Translators are at the top of the list, with 98% of their work activities overlapping with frequent Copilot tasks with fairly high completion rates and scope scores,” the report said. “Other occupations with high applicability scores include those related to writing/editing, sales, customer service, programming, and clerking.”
The report also named the occupations that were the most AI proof, largely consisting of medical and blue-collar jobs, typically requiring more physical or hands-on work. Those include roles like phlebotomists and nursing assistants, to ship engineers and tire repairers.
How you can stay relevant
Microsoft’s report doesn’t mean a robot is coming to take your job tomorrow. However, if you want to stay competitive in today’s ever-changing job market, you should learn everything you can about AI tools and how you can use them to benefit your employer, according to Jensen Huang, co-founder and CEO of Nvidia.
“Every job will be affected, and immediately. It is unquestionable,” Huang, 62, said at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference 2025 on May 6. His $4.2 trillion company designs some of the computer chips that power popular AI tools. “You’re not going to lose your job to an AI, but you’re going to lose your job to someone who uses AI.”
Companies like Shopify, Duolingo and Fiverr are already urging — or requiring — that some, or all, of their employees use AI on the job. Duolingo co-founder and CEO Luis von Ahn and Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke have also said they would only increase headcount if a job cannot be automated.
But in a world where chatbots can carry out many of the tasks once done by people, there are many skills that only humans can possess, including empathy, curiosity, social and emotional intelligence, leadership and relationship building. Fostering these skills is essential if you want to thrive in the age of AI, says Stanford business lecturer Robert E. Siegel.
“The AI revolution is real, and rather than fearing this, we should see it as a chance to evolve and grow,” Siegel wrote for CNBC Make It in June. “By cultivating human skills, understanding industry ecosystems, embracing change, and focusing on internal and external relationships, you can build a career that not only survives but thrives in the age of AI.”
Want to stand out, grow your network, and get more job opportunities? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It’s new online course, How to Build a Standout Personal Brand: Online, In Person, and At Work. Learn from three expert instructors how to showcase your skills, build a stellar reputation, and create a digital presence that AI can’t replicate. Sign up today with coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off the regular course price of $67 (plus tax). Offer valid July 22, 2025, through September 2, 2025.
Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and peers.
