0
global employment exposed to AI [1]
IMF estimate of labor-market exposure, not total replacement.
The Work That Lasts
The jobs nobody wanted are the last ones standing. This is a directory of work that matters, pays well, and will still exist when everything else is a feature.
"Boring used to mean low status. Now it means job security. The trades won the culture war. They just do not know it yet."
The Shift
What the numbers already say
0
annual productivity potential (upper bound) [2]
McKinsey estimate for generative-AI-enabled annual value creation.
0
OECD jobs in high-risk occupations [3]
OECD framing of occupations in the highest automation-risk bracket.
"These are cited benchmarks, not vibes."
Data last reviewed: 2026-02-25
Check Your Risk
How exposed is your current job?
We score 425 professions from the boring.careers master database. Higher score = more vulnerable to AI disruption.
Source basis: boring.careers master profession database.
This is a profession-level estimate from the boring.careers master database. It is still not a personalized audit of your employer, workflow, or tool stack.
0
Task Breakdown
Projected Path
Still Protected
Most At Risk
Related Pivots From This Profile
Model Provenance
Scores represent aggregate profession-level exposure, including protected subspecialties. Individual role risk varies by employer, workflow, and tool adoption.
Recent revisions
- Radiologist 42 → 70 — diagnostic AI adoption accelerated
- Paralegal 55 → 68 — document review automation expanded
- Graphic Designer 38 → 58 — generative image tools matured
Did you mean…
Consider these durable alternatives:
What comes after the check?
Use the Career Decision Board to see where to pivot next
Exposure diagnoses current role risk. Durability helps choose where to pivot.
Exposure: higher = more vulnerable Durability: higher = more resilient
Career Decision Board
Where To Bet Your Career Under AI Pressure
Use this to decide where to spend your next year of training effort. Set a pressure scenario, then follow the highest durability categories and role targets. Higher score = more resilient.
How to use: pick a scenario, read top categories, then open the first 2-3 recommended roles.
Durability readout: higher score = more resilient under the selected pressure.
Resilient roles
0 score >= 70Transition roles
0 score 50 to 69Fragile roles
0 score under 50
Skilled Trades 0 +0.0
Field execution and machine uptime
Care & Presence 0 +0.0
Touch, context, and human judgment
Built Environment 0 +0.0
Site reality and accountable delivery
Trust Infrastructure 0 +0.0
Liability, process, and enforceable proof
Earth & Food 0 +0.0
Physical systems and biological constraints
Model uses a weighted blend of embodied work, legal liability, supply scarcity, and role AI-risk score.
Directory Preview
The Jobs That Win
Sorted by durability, not prestige.
Elevator Mechanic
Keeps vertical cities moving.
Median Salary
$76,000 - 122,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Low Method
Plumber
Water systems fail on weekends too.
Median Salary
$49,000 - 86,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Low Method
Electrician
Grid complexity is job security.
Median Salary
$51,000 - 89,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Low Method
HVAC Technician
Climate control never goes out of style.
Median Salary
$45,000 - 79,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Low Method
Dental Hygienist
Tactile care plus patient trust.
Median Salary
$67,000 - 101,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Low Method
Occupational Therapist
Recovery is personal, not generic.
Median Salary
$76,000 - 118,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Low Method
Land Surveyor
Property lines still need legal humans.
Median Salary
$52,000 - 91,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Low Method
Court Reporter
Verbatim records are legal infrastructure.
Median Salary
$50,000 - 98,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Medium Method
Mobile Notary (Estate Focus)
Identity verification has to be witnessed.
Median Salary
$35,000 - 90,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Low Method
Soil Scientist (USDA/NRCS Track)
Healthy land is long-horizon work.
Median Salary
$51,000 - 89,000/yr Salary source
AI Risk: Medium Method
Methodology
How we decide what makes the list
Three questions. Every role has to pass all three.
Can a body be replaced? If the work requires physical presence, tactile judgment, or being a licensed human in a specific place, it gets a point.
Is someone legally liable? Accountability anchors jobs. When a plumber floods your basement, you know who to call.
Is supply constrained? A retirement wave and recruitment gap are problems for industries, not for workers in those fields.
Deep Dive
Featured Field Notes
One career. Practical details. No carousel.
Skilled Trades
Elevator Mechanic
Install, maintain, and repair elevators, escalators, and moving walkways in commercial and residential buildings.
Why AI-resistant: Physical diagnostics, safety compliance, and licensed field work are mandatory on every call.
Salary range: $76,000 - $122,000 · BLS + union wage sheets
Training path: 4-year apprenticeship + state licensing where required.
Demand outlook: Strong demand in dense urban and retrofit-heavy markets.
Read full profile The Boring Index
Top Movers This Month
Careers gaining durability momentum, ranked by composite score change.
- 01 Elevator Mechanic 94 +2.1
- 02 Power Line Technician 91 +3.4
- 03 Wind Turbine Technician 89 +1.8
- 04 Respiratory Therapist 87 +2.6
- 05 Construction Manager 85 -0.4
Updated 2026-02-27. Full index with 40+ careers ships with newsletter launch.