There’s a certain category of human work that economists are increasingly labeling as "not worth paying for because AI can do it." This group includes jobs in customer service, sales, administration, and even some creative roles. Now, real data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is showing the impact—and it's not great.
The Numbers Don't Lie
From May 2024 to May 2025, the number of customer service representatives dropped by 130,180—a 4.8% decrease. The BLS identified 18 "artificial intelligence related occupations" in a 2024 report, and overall employment in these roles fell by 0.2%, while total U.S. employment grew by 0.8%. That's a clear divergence.
The Full List of AI-Exposed Jobs
The BLS singled out these 18 occupations as most susceptible to AI disruption:
- Paralegals and legal assistants
- Graphic designers
- Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys
- Technical writers
- Interpreters and translators
- Insurance sales agents
- Sales representatives (various categories)
- Models
- Sales engineers
- Procurement clerks
- Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks
- Customer service representatives
- Executive secretaries and administrative assistants
- Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Secretaries and administrative assistants (except legal, medical, and executive)
A Distorted Picture?
Bloomberg notes that one outlier—medical secretaries and administrative assistants—is actually growing, possibly masking the true AI effect. Excluding that role, the other 17 occupations saw a 1.6% decline.
The Optimistic View vs. Reality
Some, like Ezra Klein, argue that AI will create new and better jobs. But so far, many new roles involve fixing AI mistakes—like graphic designers now cleaning up hideous AI outputs. That's not exactly inspiring.
The trend is clear: AI is starting to replace specific job categories, and while the drop is still small, it's a warning sign for workers in these fields.
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