Month ending September 30, 2026 Last updated October 12, 2026
Placements for jobs less impacted by AI are holding up better than others since the introduction of Chat GPT
Placements across the U.S. staffing market are down overall since January 2023, but the jobs involving the fewest tasks impacted by AI, roles like truck drivers and mechanics, have only declined 13%. More highly affected jobs, like data entry keyers and customer service representatives, are down 17-18% in that same time period. There was a bit of a reversal in September, but the longer term trend remains pronounced.
Jobs most heavily impacted by AI, where AI is automating or changing a large percentage of their tasks, represent a marginally smaller percentage of all the placements made over that time period. However, the shift is modest and does not yet suggest the widespread loss of jobs because of AI.
Age effects show a similar pattern: workers 25 years and younger represent a smaller share of placements in high-impact roles in most months.The reason could be twofold: fewer entry level roles are available, and the roles that remain are increasingly being filled by more experienced candidates. Automation may also be eliminating more routine work, raising the skill level required for the jobs that remain. However, the shift so far remains relatively small.
With hands-on work showing the biggest growth in placements and administrative and design work showing relative declines, the pattern suggests automation risk is shaping hiring trends, though other economic factors may also be at play. Early identification of which job groups are at risk, which are growing, and how skill requirements are shifting enables targeted reskilling and recruitment strategies before there is widespread displacement.
It will be interesting to track this data over time and see how these impact segments diverge or converge as AI replaces some roles and transforms the requirements of others.
