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AI exposure Sales

Will AI replace retail salespersons?

Retail Salespersons. US occupation 41-2031.

32.2%

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

Ranked 54 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 92% of them.Further along than 92% of them.

Average US job 7.7%

One of the most exposed jobs in the country.Front of the queue for an AI assistant.

What AI already does for retail salespersonsWhat retail salespersons no longer do alone

O*NET lists 24 tasks for retail salespersons. AI use at work shows up in 5 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. Ticket, arrange, and display merchandise to promote sales.Core task mostly automated 1.00
  2. Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.Core task mostly automated 0.99
  3. Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.Core task mostly automated 0.96
  4. Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.Core task mostly automated 0.95
  5. Rent merchandise to customers. automated and assisted 0.72

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

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

  • Clean shelves, counters, and tables.Core task
  • Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.Core task
  • Demonstrate use or operation of merchandise.Core task
  • Exchange merchandise for customers and accept returns.Core task
  • Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.Core task
  • Inventory stock and requisition new stock.Core task
Show the other 13
  • Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices.Core task
  • Place special orders or call other stores to find desired items.Core task
  • Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental.Core task
  • Watch for and recognize security risks and thefts and know how to prevent or handle these situations.Core task
  • Bag or package purchases and wrap gifts.
  • Estimate and quote trade-in allowances.
  • Estimate cost of repair or alteration of merchandise.
  • Estimate quantity and cost of merchandise required, such as paint or floor covering.
  • Help customers try on or fit merchandise.
  • Maintain records related to sales.
  • Open and close cash registers, performing tasks such as counting money, separating charge slips, coupons, and vouchers, balancing cash drawers, and making deposits.
  • Prepare sales slips or sales contracts.
  • Sell or arrange for delivery, insurance, financing, or service contracts for merchandise.

How that compares

Among the 20 sales occupations, retail salespersons rank 4. 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. 52Network and Computer Systems Administrators 33.7%
  2. 53Database Administrators 33.2%
  3. 54Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary 32.2%

Just below

  1. 57Marketing Managers 32.0%
  2. 58Insurance Sales Agents 31.9%
  3. 59Chemical Technicians 31.5%

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.