Updated 16:32 30 Dec 2025 GMTPublished 15:41 30 Dec 2025 GMT

Microsoft study reveals the jobs least likely to be replaced by AI

The jobs market of the future will look very different to today as a result of the artificial intelligence 'job-pocalypse'

William Morgan

The artificial intelligence revolution is upon us, new data suggests, with thousands of American workers being made redundant in the past year alone as employers begin to take advantage of the new 'efficiencies' created by the technology.

There have been at least 55,000 layoffs nationwide as a direct result of AI rollouts in 2025, according to consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, with an economy-wide shrinking of the workforce that has seen 1.17 million jobs lost - the biggest cut since the Covid pandemic.

Some professions are at much greater risk of being replaced by AI than others, with analysis from Microsoft finding that writers, interpreters, programmers, and historians could all see many of their unique skills replaced by machines.

To calculate this, they analyzed 200,000 conversations held with their AI, Microsoft Autopilot, and mapped them to forms of work using data from the Department of Labor.

While their findings were bad news for creatives, there are many professions that are barely affected at all.

Jobs we never expected to be automated are potentially under threat in the AI revolution (Liu Zhankun/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

The tech giant reflected on what its research meant for employment, saying: "We found that AI is most useful for tasks related to knowledge work and communication, particularly tasks such as writing, gathering information, and learning.

"Those in occupations with these tasks may benefit by considering how AI can be used as a tool to help improve their workflows.

"On the flip side, it’s not surprising that physical tasks like performing surgeries or moving objects had less direct AI chatbot applicability."

Below are the five occupations that Microsoft's analysis suggests have been least affected by the AI revolution, and what this might mean for the world of work to come.

Phlebotomists

Would you trust a robot to put a needle in your vein and draw blood? Would you let it try again if it missed the first time?

Even AI's true believers might hesitate before allowing a machine to perform the delicate and difficult work of extracting blood for a medical test, with Microsoft finding that phlebotomy was the least affected by the technological change.

After Microsoft collected its data, however, a robotics and AI firm announced a new machine that could detect individual veins using ultrasound, potentially making it more accurate than a human blood collector.

Previous efforts to automate blood collection have not proved popular (SSPL/Getty Images)

Nursing Assistants

Another essential part of this style of close medical care is empathy.

Just as you would want a nurse taking your blood to treat you with kindness if you flinch, other healthcare assistants are also hard to replace due to the human sensitivity required in these roles.

Not only do these jobs require physical input and real-world problem-solving skills, but the ability for a carer to build a rapport with a patient is a considerably harder task for a computer.

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

Workers who respond to important real-world problems using specialist skills and equipment, especially those with a safety liability like removing hazardous waste, were also found to be fairly safe from being made redundant by AI.

While an AI could tell you all about how to dispose of dangerous pesticides and industrial solvents safely, it can't actually do anything to remove them from your environment. Even more importantly, it can't be held responsible if it is not done correctly.

Painters are pretty safe from being replaced (AFP via Getty Images)

Skilled manual labor

Jobs that require a bit of a human touch and simple manual dexterity were deemed among the safest career paths to pursue in the AI future, with skilled manual labor dominating Microsoft's list.

It showed that workers with degrees and advanced qualifications, especially those in entry-level positions, are among the most at risk in the future job market. So marketers and, sadly, journalists might want to learn how to put up some drywall.

Embalmers

A surprising profession that made it into the top five most secure jobs was embalming, but this morbid source of employment exemplifies the qualities that make jobs secure, according to Microsoft's study.

Funeral home employees need an excess of kindness and empathy, as they are often dealing with family members and loved ones at a particularly dark moment in their lives and asking difficult questions.

Not only do embalmers require specialist training, equipment, and knowledge to perform their work, but each body presents unique challenges that only years of experience and fine motor dexterity can address.

Most importantly, giving the body of your loved one to another person requires a great deal of trust that they will treat them with care and attention.