AI exposure Protective service
Will AI replace security guards?
Security Guards. US occupation 33-9032.
The reading
0.0%
of the time security guards spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of security guards' 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.
Per cent of working time Square-law scale
Average US job 7.7%
Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.
What AI already does for security guardsWhat security guards no longer do alone
O*NET lists 14 tasks for security guards. 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.
- Answer alarms and investigate disturbances.Core task
- Answer telephone calls to take messages, answer questions, and provide information during non-business hours or when switchboard is closed.Core task
- Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire or presence of unauthorized persons.Core task
- Circulate among visitors, patrons, or employees to preserve order and protect property.Core task
- Escort or drive motor vehicle to transport individuals to specified locations or to provide personal protection.Core task
- Inspect and adjust security systems, equipment, or machinery to ensure operational use and to detect evidence of tampering.Core task
Show the other 8
- Lock doors and gates of entrances and exits to secure buildings.Core task
- Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft and maintain security of premises.Core task
- Operate detecting devices to screen individuals and prevent passage of prohibited articles into restricted areas.Core task
- Patrol industrial or commercial premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows, and gates.Core task
- Respond to medical emergencies by administering basic first aid or by obtaining assistance from paramedics.Core task
- Warn persons of rule infractions or violations, and apprehend or evict violators from premises, using force when necessary.Core task
- Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or unusual occurrences.Core task
- Monitor and adjust controls that regulate building systems, such as air conditioning, furnace, or boiler.
How that compares
Among the 21 protective service occupations, security guards rank 19. 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%.
Level with 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.