Microsoft List the 40 Jobs Most at Risk of AI Disruption
Ray Poynter 5 August 2025
Microsoft have just published a study that predicts the 40 jobs most likely to be disrupted by AI – and Market Research Analysts and Data Scientists are both on their list (see more at Fortune). The Microsoft study is based on analysing 200,000 conversations with Bing. Microsoft examined the questions AI was asked and the instances where it was successful.
Key Findings from the Microsoft Study
Not surprisingly, there was a big difference between knowledge jobs and manual jobs. For example, the top job on the list was Interpreters and Translators. By contrast, roles like nursing assistants, embalmers, and automotive repairs were at the bottom of the list.
The study highlighted that, in most cases, AI will replace part of somebody’s work, rather than replacing the whole person. The study also highlighted that higher levels of education do not provide protection. The researcher commented, “In terms of education requirements, we find higher AI applicability for occupations requiring a Bachelor’s degree than occupations with lower requirements,”
But what about the insights ecosystem?
The market research and insights ecosystem was well represented in the list of the 40 careers most likely to be disrupted. The list includes Statistical Assistants at 27, Data Scientists 29, Management Analysts 34, and Market Research Analysts 37.
Other Risks to Disruption
The main weakness of the study is that it only relates to interactions that took place with Copilot/Bing. Many people do not interact with AI, but they might still be impacted. For example, taxi drivers, warehouse workers, and sewing-machine operators – all of whom are predicted by other sources to be heavily affected by AI, automation and robots.
I think we will see many years of substantial disruption, job losses, some job creation, and a lot of change.
The Full Forty
Here is Microsoft’s top 40:
- Interpreters and Translators
- Historians
- Passenger Attendants (e.g. flight attendants)
- Sales Representatives (Services)
- Writers and Authors
- Customer Service Representatives
- CNC Tool Programmers
- Telephone Operators
- Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Broadcast Announcers and Radio DJs
- Brokerage Clerks
- Farm and Home Management Educators
- Telemarketers
- Concierges
- Political Scientists
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
- Mathematicians
- Technical Writers
- Proofreaders and Copy Markers
- Hosts and Hostesses (Hospitality)
- Editors
- Postsecondary Business Teachers (Business Professors)
- Public Relations Specialists
- Demonstrators and Product Promoters
- Advertising Sales Agents
- New Accounts Clerks
- Statistical Assistants
- Counter and Rental Clerks
- Data Scientists
- Personal Financial Advisers
- Archivists
- Postsecondary Economics Teachers (Economics Professors)
- Web Developers
- Management Analysts
- Geographers
- Models (Fashion/Art models)
- Market Research Analysts
- Public Safety Telecommunicators (e.g. 911 operators)
- Switchboard Operators
- Postsecondary Library Science Teachers (Library Science Professors)