Which jobs and degrees are likely to see the impact of AI, according to AI

There’s no denying that we’ll continue to see AI used across the world, regardless of it’s controversy. In fact, a 2024 study revealed that 62% of professionals now use ChatGPT or similar AI tools at work – a figure that’s more than doubled over the last year. 

Whether it’s being utilised for routine data analysis or generating imaginative content, it’s clear that we’ll be seeing the impact of AI now, and long into the future. 

But how does the future of AI impact those seeking their next job role or degree? Well look no further, as we have the answers – and they’re straight from the source.

For those currently thinking about their options or wondering “What degree should I do?”, we at FutureLearn have asked AI how long it believes it would take to partially – and fully integrate with top job roles related to higher education degrees and subjects. 

Based on ChatGPT’s answers, we have determined which job fields and degrees are the most and least likely to see AI integration in the future. 

What degree should I do if I’m worried about the future of AI?

When thinking about any level of education, you want to ensure that the subject you’re studying will have longevity and be one of the best degrees for the future.

Whether that’s choosing a subject that you enjoy, looking at how employable your field is after graduation, or opting for a degree that will give you transferable skills and open you up to further opportunities, there’s plenty to consider. 

And unfortunately, the impact of AI is something that students DO worry about, with 50% of students saying that they think their job prospects are under threat due to the rise of AI.That being said, according to AI, there are some degrees that will be completely missed by AI integration. AI told us that fields such as Education and Teaching, Sociology, and Psychology are seen as ‘impossible’ to fully integrate with due to the need to offer emotional support, interpret non-verbal cues and adapt to human dynamics.

Those looking at ‘people-focused’ subjects such as psychology or teaching courses, can rest assured that AI will not be able to replace key elements of the jobs that require empathy, understanding and adaptation. 

Another subject revealed as less likely to see full AI integration was Business and Management, with AI estimating that it would take over 19 years to see impact on MBAs. 

While AI can help with certain tasks needed in Business and Management such as data analysis, performance and budget monitoring, and trend predictions, it would struggle with more complex subjects. ChatGPT cited that it would be unable to fully take on creating tailored business strategies and solutions, and handling complex negotiations. 

Nursing was also revealed as less likely to see full AI integration, as ChatGPT estimates that it would take over 22 years to integrate into the subject. 

Although AI could assist with patient monitoring and administrative tasks for Nursing, it believes that it would stumble at hurdles such as patient care empathy, emergency decision-making, and complex patient interactions. 

The degrees most likely to utilise AI in the future

Due to its adept way with numbers, it should come as no surprise to see that AI believes there are certain degrees that it could integrate with on a much quicker timeline.Subjects such as Data Science, Physics and Maths were all flagged by AI as more likely to see full AI integration, with AI citing that there are plenty of ways it is already being used within these fields including assisting with predictive modelling, risk analysis and data visualisation.

However, this isn’t to say that these degrees would be completely replaceable, as each of these roles still require elements that AI itself doesn’t believe it can replicate such as strategic thinking, ethical decision making and innovation. 

Due to a larger likelihood of AI use in these subjects, looking into ‘how to learn AI’ and applying for AI courses could be beneficial for your professional development. Being able to utilise these tools can ensure that you’re keeping ahead of the curve when you graduate into the job market.  

What specific job roles are most and least likely to see AI integration?

Studies have found that over half (57%) of workers are worried that their job will be replaced by AI, but as we’ve discussed, even AI isn’t confident in it’s ability to fully replace every field.Of the jobs analysed, there are plenty of roles that AI deemed ‘impossible’ to fully integrate with such as Artists, Surgeons, Physiotherapists, Barristers, Social Workers, Writers, Psychologists and Teachers.

When looking at the jobs at risk from AI, of the job roles analysed, AI believes that it would be most likely to fully integrate with the roles of Pharmacy Technicians, Cyber Security Analysts, Data Analysts and Scientists and Machine Learning Engineer roles. With ChatGPT estimating that it would take 7 and a half years to see a full AI integration for these jobs. 

Although upskilling with AI courses would always be helpful for further development in these fields, there are still plenty of responsibilities within these roles that AI wouldn’t be able to mimic, meaning we’re unlikely  to see these job roles be totally replaced.

For those particularly worried about the use of AI in the world, building your understanding of the benefits and limits of AI will be hugely helpful. Not only helping with your career development, this knowledge could potentially ease any concerns you may have about AI’s use in your day to day life. 

Methodology

We provided ChatGPT with a list of professions and asked how long it believes it would take to partially and fully integrate with these job roles.

By assigning each job to a degree and subject area, we were able to determine which job fields and degrees are the most and least likely to see possible integration and replacement.