How over is it?

A mood ring wired to real instruments

AI exposure Sales

Will AI replace Door-to-Door sales workers?

Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers. US occupation 41-9091.

17.6%

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

Ranked 132 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 82% of them.Further along than 82% of them.

Average US job 7.7%

Well above the typical job.Ahead of most of the workforce.

What AI already does for Door-to-Door sales workersWhat Door-to-Door sales workers no longer do alone

O*NET lists 12 tasks for Door-to-Door sales workers. AI use at work shows up in 3 of them. Each score runs from 0.5, where every observed use helps a person with the task, to 1, where every use does the task outright.

  1. Write and record orders for merchandise or enter orders into computers.Core task mostly automated 0.99
  2. Answer questions about product features and benefits.Core task mostly automated 0.97
  3. Develop prospect lists.Core task mostly automated 0.96

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

9 of the 12 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Arrange buying parties and solicit sponsorship of such parties to sell merchandise.Core task
  • Circulate among potential customers or travel by foot, truck, automobile, or bicycle to deliver or sell merchandise or services.Core task
  • Deliver merchandise and collect payment.Core task
  • Distribute product samples or literature that details products or services.Core task
  • Explain products or services and prices and demonstrate use of products.Core task
  • Order or purchase supplies.Core task
Show the other 3
  • Persuade customers to purchase merchandise or services.Core task
  • Set up and display sample merchandise at parties or stands.Core task
  • Stock carts or stands.

How that compares

Among the 20 sales occupations, Door-to-Door sales workers rank 14. The group averages 23.6%, and its most exposed job is Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products at 62.8%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Just above in the ranking

  1. 129Materials Scientists 18.4%
  2. 130Social and Community Service Managers 18.1%
  3. 131Proofreaders and Copy Markers 17.8%

Just below

  1. 133Brokerage Clerks 17.4%
  2. 134Advertising and Promotions Managers 17.3%
  3. 134Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks 17.3%

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.