Saad Ullah
The research, based on nine months of real-world data from Microsoft's Copilot tools, offers a rare data-driven glimpse into how AI is actually reshaping work. And the takeaway? AI isn't coming for entire jobs—it's changing how we do them.
What Microsoft Found
Tech enthusiast Future Stacked recently shared news that's got a lot of people talking: Microsoft just published a study pinpointing the 40 jobs most at risk from AI—and the 40 least likely to be affected.
Microsoft researchers analyzed over 200,000 anonymized interactions between workers and AI tools throughout 2024, then cross-referenced them with U.S. Department of Labor occupational data. The result: an "AI applicability score" showing which job tasks overlap most with what AI can do.
Jobs most exposed to AI disruption:
- Interpreters and translators
- Writers and authors
- Customer service representatives
- Sales representatives (services)
- Historians and analysts
These roles lean heavily on language processing, information management, and repetitive cognitive tasks—exactly where tools like ChatGPT and Copilot shine. But here's the twist: the study found AI is mostly augmenting workers, not replacing them. It's handling parts of jobs, not wiping them out entirely.
Jobs safest from automation:
- Roofers and construction workers
- Foundry mold makers
- Bridge and lock operators
- Water treatment technicians
- Dredge operators
The pattern is clear: if your job requires physical skills, adaptability in unpredictable environments, or hands-on problem-solving, you're in good shape. Current AI just can't handle that stuff yet.
What This Means Going Forward
For workers in at-risk fields, this isn't a death sentence—it's a heads-up. The future is about working with AI, not against it. Those who learn to use these tools to boost their speed and creativity will come out ahead. For employers, the message is equally straightforward: use AI to redesign workflows and support your people, not just cut costs.
The bottom line? We're not looking at mass unemployment—we're looking at a shift. Tasks are being automated, not entire professions. And just like computer literacy became essential decades ago, AI literacy is about to become the new baseline skill for staying relevant in almost any field.
Saad Ullah
