How over is it?

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AI exposure Arts, design, entertainment, sports and media

Will AI replace umpires?

Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials. US occupation 27-2023.

0.0%

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

O*NET lists 16 tasks for umpires. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

16 of the 16 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Confer with other sporting officials, coaches, players, and facility managers to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.Core task
  • Inspect game sites for compliance with regulations or safety requirements.Core task
  • Inspect sporting equipment or examine participants to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.Core task
  • Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.Core task
  • Report to regulating organizations regarding sporting activities, complaints made, and actions taken or needed, such as fines or other disciplinary actions.Core task
  • Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.Core task
Show the other 10
  • Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.Core task
  • Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.Core task
  • Compile scores and other athletic records.
  • Direct participants to assigned areas, such as starting blocks or penalty areas.
  • Judge performances in sporting competitions to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.
  • Keep track of event times, including race times and elapsed time during game segments, starting or stopping play when necessary.
  • Research and study players and teams to anticipate issues that might arise in future engagements.
  • Start races and competitions.
  • Verify credentials of participants in sporting events, and make other qualifying determinations, such as starting order or handicap number.
  • Verify scoring calculations before competition winners are announced.

How that compares

Among the 34 arts, design, entertainment, sports and media occupations, umpires rank 34. 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

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Transportation Inspectors 0.0%
  2. 346Transportation Security Screeners 0.0%
  3. 346Tree Trimmers and Pruners 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.