Google chief executive Sundar Pichai says ramping up artificial intelligence capabilities in products is resulting in people using them more and increased demand for its cloud computing services – Copyright AFP Glenn CHAPMAN

It is a commonly discussed issue these days – the jobs that are most at risk and, conversely, seemingly the best protected from the advance of artificial intelligence. Across different surveys on the subject there are patterns of similarity and difference.

According to a new review, emergency medical technicians rank as the most AI-resistant due to high public interaction requirements. Overall, healthcare dominates the rankings, with 3 medical professions in the top five most secure jobs, from the perspective of the U.S. economy.

With artificial intelligence transforming workplaces at a rapid pace, over 73% of U.S. companies now use AI in at least one business area. A new study by Eskimoz analysed occupational data across multiple job categories to identify which careers remain most resistant to AI replacement.

The research evaluated each occupation using two factors: the percentage of public interaction required and automation risk scores from industry assessments. Jobs were ranked using an AI Resistance Score calculated by combining inverted automation risk (where lower risk yields higher scores) with public interaction percentages, then normalized on a 1-100 scale to identify positions where human skills remain irreplaceable.

The most AI resistant jobs?

Occupation and occupational group Percent who must interact with the general public Automation Risk  Score Emergency medical technicians 100.00% 7% 100 Healthcare social workers 100% 11% 98 Lawyers 100% 29% 86 Medical and health services managers 89.80% 26% 82 First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers 78.50% 17% 80 Human resources managers 82.90% 26% 78 General and operations managers 80.30% 36% 70 Maintenance and repair workers, general 71.60% 35% 65 First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers 81.60% 50% 62 Training and development specialists 57.80% 29% 60

Based on the above assessment, emergency medical technicians rank first with the highest AI Resistance Score of 100. EMTs require 100% public interaction in critical medical emergencies where human judgment proves irreplaceable, leading to only 7% automation risk, the lowest among all occupations studied.

Healthcare social workers secure second place with a score of 98. These professionals require 100% public interaction, providing emotional support and crisis intervention that demands genuine human involvement. This results in a low 11% automation risk.

Lawyers rank third with an AI Resistance Score of 86. Legal professionals maintain 100% public engagement through client consultations and courtroom advocacy, facing only 29% automation risk.

Medical and health services managers take fourth place, scoring 81.82 in AI resistance. These professionals show 89.8% public engagement while coordinating between patients, medical staff, and administrators. Healthcare management’s interpersonal skill requirements result in a 26% automation risk.

First-line supervisors of construction trades rank fifth, following medical professionals closely in AI resistance score. These supervisors post a 78.5% public interaction rate while managing teams and ensuring safety compliance. Their on-site leadership and problem-solving abilities lead to just 17% automation risk.

Human resources managers secure sixth place with a 78 AI Resistance Score. The HR professionals demonstrate 82.9% public interaction through employee relations and conflict resolution. HR management’s focus on workplace dynamics puts them at a low 26% automation risk, similar to medical professionals.

General and operations managers rank seventh, scoring 70. With 80.3% public interaction, these leaders coordinate across departments and manage stakeholder relationships. Their role puts them at 36% automation risk.

Maintenance and repair workers take eighth place with a score of 65. These professionals show 71.6% public interaction while diagnosing problems and explaining repairs to customers. Practical problem-solving and customer service combine to resist automation, resulting in a 35% automation risk.

First-line supervisors of office workers rank ninth with a 62-point AI resistance  score. These supervisors maintain 81.6% public engagement through team management. Human elements in motivation and conflict resolution remain substantial despite a 50% automation risk – the highest in the top 10.

Training and development specialists complete the top 10, coming just behind first-line supervisors. While showing 57.8% public interaction, these professionals create personalized learning experiences. Understanding individual needs and inspiring professional growth remains human work, with a 29% automation risk.