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AI exposure Arts, design, entertainment, sports and media

Will AI replace special effects artists and animators?

Special Effects Artists and Animators. US occupation 27-1014.

35.7%

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

Ranked 46 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 93% of them.Further along than 93% 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 special effects artists and animatorsWhat special effects artists and animators no longer do alone

O*NET lists 13 tasks for special effects artists and animators. AI use at work shows up in 4 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. Use models to simulate the behavior of animated objects in the finished sequence. mostly automated 0.98
  2. Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.Core task mostly automated 0.93
  3. Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques. mostly automated 0.93
  4. Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, newsletters, and slide shows. mostly automated 0.86

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

9 of the 13 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.Core task
  • Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.Core task
  • Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.Core task
  • Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.Core task
  • Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.Core task
  • Assemble, typeset, scan, and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer's proofs.
Show the other 3
  • Convert real objects to animated objects through modeling, using techniques such as optical scanning.
  • Create pen-and-paper images to be scanned, edited, colored, textured, or animated by computer.
  • Implement and maintain configuration control systems.

How that compares

Among the 34 arts, design, entertainment, sports and media occupations, special effects artists and animators rank 6. The group averages 14.2%, and its most exposed job is Technical Writers at 47.5%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Just above in the ranking

  1. 43Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 36.2%
  2. 45Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary 35.9%
  3. 46Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators 35.7%

Just below

  1. 48Personal Financial Advisors 35.0%
  2. 49Accountants and Auditors 34.8%
  3. 50Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners 34.3%

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.