With almost half of knowledge workers also expressing concern over job displacement due to AI, it raises the question: which professions feel the most vulnerable and which AI alternatives are we most readily encouraging?

To explore this, the experts at AIPRM analysed global search data to reveal the shifting perceptions around AI’s role in the workforce.

Key Findings on AI and Jobs:

• Out of the ranking careers, programming is the only industry expecting negative employment growth (-10%).
• Despite high fear of job displacement, tech sectors like data science (+36%) and cybersecurity (+33%) are set for significant growth.
• Non-tech industries are feeling the strain, with searches for “AI doctors” and “AI lawyers” being the most sought-after alternatives.

Search Insights: Top Questions About Jobs at Risk from AI

Programmers and Software Developers

“Will AI replace programmers?” is the most heavily searched AI replacement question, amassing 5,100 monthly enquiries. “AI programmer” has also racked up an average of 2,800 monthly searches as people scramble for quicker, cheaper alternatives to hiring the real thing.

One report identified that employment in the programming industry is set to experience a 10% decline in the states by 2033; the only negative predicted trend amongst the most searched roles.

“Will AI replace software developers” takes second place, seeing 2,500 monthly enquiries. Interestingly, “AI software developer” amasses around 6,200 global monthly searches. However, a predicted 26% increase in employment 2023-2033 provides some security, as despite AI’s ability to execute the more technical elements, the overseeing and human input is crucial, with imagination, inventive problem-solving, and analytical thinking being essential components.

Accountants and Lawyers

Accountants ranked as the 3rd most popular enquiry, with “Will AI replace accountants?” garnering 1,500 monthly searches. People are keen to seek an alternative, with “AI accountant” seeing over 700 monthly enquiries.

While over half (51%) of accounting professionals think that ChatGPT and generative AI have a place in tax, accounting, and audit tasks, at this stage, the need for judgement and emotional intelligence when handling clients is irreplaceable, hence a 6% growth in employment predicted between 2022-2032.

“Will AI replace Lawyers?” racks up over 1,300 global searches each month, and shockingly “AI lawyer” sees over eight times the volume across the same period (11,000). According to Goldman Sachs, AI has the potential to automate 44% of tasks within the legal profession, far surpassing the 25% average across industries.

However, this doesn’t suggest the profession will disappear, with the job market expected to grow by 5% by 2033, but it underscores that those leveraging AI are likely to outpace those who resist it.

Data Analysts and Data Scientists

However, employment within this sector is expected to rise 23% between 2021 and 2031, as although AI can identify patterns and crunch numbers, understanding reasoning, intuition, and problem-solving skills is something AI is currently unable to match.

Similarly, with data Scientists. Searches for “Will AI replace data scientists” currently amount to around 800 monthly enquiries, with around 600 searches seeking out an “AI data scientist”. The employment rate is predicted to soar by 36% in the same period, the most significant increase out of all the roles where employees feel most vulnerable.

Despite AI’s ability to perform many processing tasks, the soft skills associated with this field are too significant, such as liaising with stakeholders, project management skills, and simply working well in a team.

Doctors and Radiologists

Medical professionals, including doctors and radiologists, are concerned about AI’s impact. Monthly searches for “Will AI replace doctors” reach around 900, while interest in “AI doctor” sees an impressive 16,000 monthly searches as people seek quicker and more accessible alternatives.

Despite this, doctor employment is on track for a 4% growth from 2023 to 2033, indicating steady demand for human expertise in patient care, diagnosis, and empathy, qualities AI cannot fully replicate.

Radiologists face similar uncertainties, with 450 monthly searches for “Will AI replace radiologists”. 

Employment in this field is predicted to rise by 6% over the same period. While AI can assist in analysing imaging data, radiologists’ interpretive skills, clinical decision-making, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals remain irreplaceable.

Engineers and Architects

Engineers also feel the pressure of AI advancements, with around 700 monthly searches for “Will AI replace engineers” and 7,000 for “AI engineer”. However, employment in the field is expected to grow by 11% by 2033.

While AI can assist with optimisation and design, it can’t replicate the creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking that engineers bring to their work.

Similarly, architects face questions about their future, with 350 monthly searches for “Will AI replace architects” and 2,800 for “AI architect”. Despite this, the profession is expected to grow by 5% over the next decade.

AI might help with drafting and visualisations, but architects’ ability to blend form and function while working closely with clients keeps them in demand.

In the 90s, it was the computer. Then came the internet. In the 2010s, cloud computing and mobile apps. Now, in 2024, the spotlight is squarely on AI—especially tools like ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Midjourney, Meta AI, Perplexity AI, and others. And one question is echoing louder than ever:

“Will AI take my job?”

Let’s talk about it—not with fear or fanfare—but with clarity, honesty, and a little bit of math.

First, What Is AI Doing in Workplaces?

AI today is great at one thing: repeating tasks that follow clear patterns. That means it can:

• Write short marketing copies.
• Summarize long documents.
• Predict customer behaviour.
• Generate code suggestions.
• Sort resumes based on job descriptions.

But here’s the catch: AI is a pattern follower, not a critical thinker. It can mimic tone, structure, or language—but it doesn’t understand context the way humans do.

So, instead of thinking “AI will replace me,” a better question might be: “Which parts of my job can AI help me do better?”

The Numbers Tell a Nuanced Story

In early 2024, McKinsey’s Global Survey reported that over 40% of companies now use generative AI tools regularly in at least one department. But here is the twist: most companies are not laying people off. They are retraining, reassigning, and upskilling.

According to the World Economic Forum, AI is expected to disrupt 85 million jobs by 2025—but also create 97 million new ones.

The jobs may change. But work is not disappearing.

Case Studies: Jobs at Risk, Jobs Being Reinvented

What is Being Automated:

• Data entry: Forms, records, spreadsheets—AI can fill and file these faster.
• Basic customer support: Chatbots can handle FAQs and standard responses.
• Routine content writing: Product descriptions, email templates, SEO articles.

What is Being Elevated:

• Recruitment: AI helps screen CVs, but humans still do the interviews.
• Education: Teachers use AI to personalize lesson plans, not to be replaced.
• Design & Marketing: AI generates drafts; creatives still lead the direction.

Example:

A small e-commerce business uses AI to draft ad copies, but a marketing intern tweaks the message to reflect the brand’s voice. That intern will not be replaced but would rather be promoted to strategic editor.

So… Will Your Job Be Affected?

Let’s simplify this with a checklist. If your job involves:

• Repetitive tasks – AI might assist or automate it.
• Decisions under uncertainty – AI struggles here.
• Emotional intelligence, creativity, or leadership – Still very human.
• Working with people, strategy, or ethics – AI can’t replicate nuance.

Jobs are not going away. But job descriptions are changing.

How to Stay Ahead in an AI-Powered World

The best way to protect your job? Make AI your co-pilot, not your competition.

Here is how:

Learn to prompt: Tools like ChatGPT are only as good as your questions. Prompting is a new literacy.

Build soft skills: Critical thinking, empathy, storytelling—AI doesn’t have these.

Automate the boring stuff: Use AI to handle reports, drafts, or code suggestions.

Reskill continuously: Platforms like Coursera, DataCamp, and even YouTube have free resources. Just 30 minutes a day adds up.

Remember: It is not AI that replaces you. It is someone using AI smarter than you.

Looking Ahead: Adapt, Do Not Freeze

This is not the first time society feared being replaced by machines. The printing press, electricity, and the internet—all brought change. But they also brought new roles, new tools, and new ways to work.

In 2024, AI is doing the same. If anything, this is a wake-up call—not to panic, but to pivot. Not to compete with AI, but to collaborate with it.

So, will AI take your job?

Maybe. But only if you stand still.

If you are learning, adapting, and staying curious—you are not being replaced. You are becoming irreplaceable.

About the writer

Chukwujekwu “Jeks” Ezema explores how AI is changing the way we work, collaborate, and create. His writing helps professionals at every level understand and adapt to digital transformation.