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AI exposure Transportation and material moving

Will AI replace airline pilots?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. US occupation 53-2011.

0.0%

of the time airline pilots spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of airline pilots' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.

Ranked 346 of 756 US occupations. No AI use seen in the work yet, along with 410 other occupations.No handover started yet, along with 410 other occupations.

Average US job 7.7%

Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.

What AI already does for airline pilotsWhat airline pilots no longer do alone

O*NET lists 24 tasks for airline pilots. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

24 of the 24 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Brief crews about flight details, such as destinations, duties, and responsibilities.Core task
  • Check passenger and cargo distributions and fuel amounts to ensure that weight and balance specifications are met.Core task
  • Choose routes, altitudes, and speeds that will provide the fastest, safest, and smoothest flights.Core task
  • Confer with flight dispatchers and weather forecasters to keep abreast of flight conditions.Core task
  • Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.Core task
  • Direct activities of aircraft crews during flights.Core task
Show the other 18
  • Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists.Core task
  • Instruct other pilots and student pilots in aircraft operations and the principles of flight.Core task
  • Make announcements regarding flights, using public address systems.Core task
  • Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.Core task
  • Monitor gauges, warning devices, and control panels to verify aircraft performance and to regulate engine speed.Core task
  • Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.Core task
  • Record in log books information, such as flight times, distances flown, and fuel consumption.Core task
  • Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions.Core task
  • Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.Core task
  • Steer aircraft along planned routes, using autopilot and flight management computers.Core task
  • Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.Core task
  • Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.Core task
  • Conduct in-flight tests and evaluations at specified altitudes and in all types of weather to determine the receptivity and other characteristics of equipment and systems.
  • Coordinate flight activities with ground crews and air traffic control and inform crew members of flight and test procedures.
  • Evaluate other pilots or pilot-license applicants for proficiency.
  • File instrument flight plans with air traffic control to ensure that flights are coordinated with other air traffic.
  • Perform minor maintenance work, or arrange for major maintenance.
  • Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports.

How that compares

Among the 44 transportation and material moving occupations, airline pilots rank 7. The group averages 0.6%, and its most exposed job is Passenger Attendants at 11.7%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Air Traffic Controllers 0.0%
  2. 346Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors 0.0%
  3. 346Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians 0.0%

What this does and does not mean

Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.

A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.

Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.