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AI exposure Protective service

Will AI replace firefighters?

Firefighters. US occupation 33-2011.

0.0%

of the time firefighters spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of firefighters' 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 firefightersWhat firefighters no longer do alone

O*NET lists 28 tasks for firefighters. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

28 of the 28 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons or provide emergency medical care such as basic or advanced life support.Core task
  • Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.Core task
  • Clean and maintain fire stations and fire fighting equipment and apparatus.Core task
  • Collaborate with other firefighters as a member of a firefighting crew.Core task
  • Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls.Core task
  • Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters.Core task
Show the other 22
  • Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.Core task
  • Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.Core task
  • Extinguish flames and embers to suppress fires, using shovels or engine- or hand-driven water or chemical pumps.Core task
  • Inform and educate the public on fire prevention.Core task
  • Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary.Core task
  • Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger.Core task
  • Maintain contact with fire dispatchers at all times to notify them of the need for additional firefighters and supplies, or to detail any difficulties encountered.Core task
  • Maintain knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences.Core task
  • Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.Core task
  • Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses.Core task
  • Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques.Core task
  • Participate in physical training activities to maintain a high level of physical fitness.Core task
  • Patrol burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires.Core task
  • Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures.Core task
  • Prepare written reports that detail specifics of fire incidents.Core task
  • Protect property from water and smoke, using waterproof salvage covers, smoke ejectors, and deodorants.Core task
  • Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.Core task
  • Salvage property by removing broken glass, pumping out water, and ventilating buildings to remove smoke.Core task
  • Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires.Core task
  • Take action to contain any hazardous chemicals that could catch fire, leak, or spill.Core task
  • Train new employees to control and suppress fires.Core task
  • Orient self in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute.

How that compares

Among the 21 protective service occupations, firefighters rank 10. The group averages 1.2%, and its most exposed job is Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at 12.3%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Fence Erectors 0.0%
  2. 346Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators 0.0%
  3. 346Fire Inspectors and Investigators 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.