Microsoft researchers have revealed the 40 jobs most exposed to AI—and even teachers make the list

Microsoft’s released its list of 40 jobs that have high crossover with AI—and professionals warned it highlights the careers “most at risk,” with historians, translators, and sales reps high on the list. While Microsoft said high applicability doesn’t automatically mean those roles will be killed by AI, employers have been putting a pause on hiring and cutting roles to make way for enhanced productivity.

As companies like Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft publicly announce workforce reductions amid heavy AI investment, workers are scrambling to understand which careers might soon disappear and be outsourced to technology.

A report from Microsoft researchers studying the occupational implications of generative AI offers some clarity.

Translators, historians, and writers are among the roles with the highest AI applicability score, meaning the job’s tasks are most closely aligned with AI’s current abilities, according to the 2025 report that ranked professions. Customer service and sales representatives—which make up about 5 million jobs in the U.S.—will also have to compete with AI. 

Overall, the jobs most exposed are ones that involve knowledge work—like people doing computer, math, or administrative work in an office, the researchers wrote. Sales jobs are also high on the list, since they often involve sharing and explaining information.

While Microsoft said high applicability doesn’t automatically mean those jobs will necessarily be replaced by AI, the list of roles quickly went viral—with professionals deeming them “most at risk.” It comes as companies have been freezing thousands of would-be new roles that it expects AI will take over in the next 5 years, and graduates in the U.K. are facing the worst job market since 2018 as employers pause hiring and use AI to cut........

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