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AI exposure Protective service

Will AI replace private detectives and investigators?

Private Detectives and Investigators. US occupation 33-9021.

0.0%

of the time private detectives and investigators spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of private detectives and investigators' 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 private detectives and investigatorsWhat private detectives and investigators no longer do alone

O*NET lists 14 tasks for private detectives and investigators. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

14 of the 14 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history.Core task
  • Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.Core task
  • Confer with establishment officials, security departments, police, or postal officials to identify problems, provide information, or receive instructions.Core task
  • Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.Core task
  • Observe and document activities of individuals to detect unlawful acts or to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video cameras.Core task
  • Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.Core task
Show the other 8
  • Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.Core task
  • Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.Core task
  • Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence.Core task
  • Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.Core task
  • Alert appropriate personnel to suspects' locations.
  • Count cash and review transactions, sales checks, or register tapes to verify amounts or to identify shortages.
  • Investigate companies' financial standings, or locate funds stolen by embezzlers, using accounting skills.
  • Perform undercover operations, such as evaluating the performance or honesty of employees by posing as customers or employees.

How that compares

Among the 21 protective service occupations, private detectives and investigators rank 18. 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. 346Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials 0.0%
  2. 346Print Binding and Finishing Workers 0.0%
  3. 346Printing Press Operators 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.