There’s considerable panic over AI’s progress, and how AI will replace jobs. Some of the panic might be justified — AI is getting better and better at knowledge work, and it’s quite likely that it could end up disrupting all manner of highly-sought white collar jobs in the coming years. But there will likely remain several jobs which won’t be replaced by AI. We asked OpenAI’s Deep Research model which jobs wouldn’t be replaced with AI, and it gave a thoughtful answer. These are the jobs that won’t be replaced with AI, as told by OpenAI’s Deep Learning model.
1.Childcare Worker
In-person child care relies on genuine human nurturing, emotional bonding, and quick physical response to kids’ needs — facets of care that Al/robots cannot replicate. There’s a 96 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
2. Social Worker
Social work requires empathy, ethical judgment, and trust-building with clients. Al lacks true emotional intelligence and cannot navigate complex human situations. There’s a 95 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
3. Therapist/Counselor
Mental health counseling depends on human insight, compassion, and personalized guidance. These uniquely human qualities ensure therapists remain essential. There’s a 94 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
4. Clergy (Religious Spiritual guidance)
Spiritual guidance and community leadership are built on human connection and trust. Al “priests” have proven inadequate — they cannot provide authentic comfort or moral counsel. There’s a 93 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
5. Athlete (Pro Sports)
Professional sports are a showcase of human physical talent and competition. No Al can physically compete or inspire audiences in the same way as human athletes. There’s a 93 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
6. Nurse
Nursing involves direct patient care, compassion, and dexterous tasks. It has only about a 10% automation risk, as assisting/caring for others and social perceptiveness are hard to automate. There’s a 92 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
7. Plumber
Plumbers solve unpredictable, hands-on problems (e.g. fixing leaks in tight spaces) requiring manual dexterity and on-the-spot ingenuity. Al cannot match this physical agility and problem-solving in the real world. There’s a 90 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
8. Electrician
Electrical work demands skilled manual labor and real-time adaptation to each home’s wiring issues. It also involves reassuring clients about safety — a level of human interaction and trust Al can’t provide. There’s an 89 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
9. Performing Artist
Creative performance entails uniquely human emotional (Actor/Musician) expression. While Al can assist with special effects, core activities like acting, singing, or live music require human artistry and cannot be fully replicated by algorithms. There’s an 89 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
10. Mechanic
Repairing vehicles and machinery is a hands-on job needing tactile expertise and adaptation to each case. Indeed, “automotive mechanics” are listed among the jobs least exposed to Al disruption. There’s an 87 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
11. Farmer (Agricultural worker)
Agriculture still relies heavily on human oversight and labor. In 86% fact, agricultural jobs are expected to grow, partly because workers in this field are far less likely to be impacted by generative Al models. There’s an 87 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
12 Barber/Hairdresser
Haircutting and styling require fine motor skills, aesthetic judgment, and personal trust. Barbers and hair stylists are cited among the least Al-exposed occupations, as clients prefer a human’s careful touch. There’s an 85 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
13 Corporate Leader/Executive
Effective leadership calls for strategic vision, complex decision making, and interpersonal influence. Most people do not trust Al to understand human behavior or lead teams as well as human managers do, so human executives remain irreplaceable. There’s an 84 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
14. Scientist/Researcher
Designing experiments and making scientific breakthroughs 83% involve creativity and critical thinking. Such “critical-thinking jobs” tend to have lower Al exposure, since Al can analyze data but cannot easily originate new theories or innovate independently. There’s an 84 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
15 Doctor/Physician
Medical practice requires nuanced judgment, empathy, and 82% trust. Al can assist with diagnostics, but only —18% of a physician’s tasks are automatable — the rest (like complex decision-making and patient communication) still needs a human doctor. There’s an 83 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
16. Teacher/Educator
Teaching is more than delivering facts; it involves mentorship, adapting to student needs, and social interaction. Al is expected to complement teachers, not replace them. Parents and schools overwhelmingly prefer human teachers for guiding students. There’s an 80 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
17 Chef/Cook
Culinary work combines creativity with manual skill. Robots 78% can automate repetitive kitchen tasks, but creating new recipes and delivering a fine dining experience rely on human creativity and palate. Notably, even “short-order cooks” are listed as among the jobs least affected by LLM-based Al. There’s a 78 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
18. Construction Worker (Carpenter)
Construction and carpentry involve complex manual labor in varied environments. These skilled trades are hard to automate — carpenters, masons, and roofers appear among the least Al-exposed jobs. Humans are needed on-site to handle unpredictable tasks and ensure quality workmanship. There’s a 75 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
19. Politician
Governing requires ethical judgment, public persuasion, and accountability that only humans can provide. Automation risk for political roles is low, since entrusting policy decisions entirely to Al could be dangerous. Human leaders remain necessary for legitimacy and moral responsibility. There’s a 72 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.
20. Truck/Bus Driver
Operating heavy vehicles in dynamic real-world conditions still 73% requires human drivers. While Al-driven vehicles are advancing, self-driving trucks are not expected to replace human drivers in the foreseeable future . Companies anticipate drivers will remain essential to handle unexpected situations and ensure safety. There’s a 71 percent chance this job won’t be replaced with AI.