Will AI replace disc jockeys?

Not on current evidence. Less than 30 minutes of a typical shift goes to tasks that AI or robots are doing today. The other 7h 52m (98%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 3.8% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 1 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 8m of a typical shift. 2 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here.

• Operate visual effects equipment, such as lights, fog machines, or lasers. (8m a shift; e.g. Denon DJ PRIME 4 with SoundSwitch (StagelinQ), in use)

7h 52m of a typical shift, or 98%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Assemble audio and video equipment. (56m a shift)
• Communicate with clients or venue owners to determine event information, such as music preferences, scheduling, and anticipated attendance. (48m a shift)
• Select and play music incorporating crowd preferences and mood. (48m a shift)
• Create tailored playlists by aligning music with event functions. (40m a shift)
• Mix, cut, or sample recorded music using DJ controllers, CDJs, or DJ mixers. (40m a shift)

On Indeed, job postings in the Arts & Entertainment sector are at 87% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 12.4% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 1,700 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $44,949 a year ($21.61 an hour), 12% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer.

BLS projects growth of 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 18,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 1,700 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 7,920 people in the U.S., roughly 0.01% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 695th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 18,000 in 2035.

O*NET rates the job at level 2 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: high school diploma, some training. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 7h 52m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word

These use similar skills. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys (26m touched, $47k median pay)
• Sound Engineering Technicians (0m touched, $73k median pay)
• Music Directors and Composers (26m touched, $74k median pay)
• Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes (1h 53m touched, $83k median pay)
• Audio and Video Technicians (6m touched, $58k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 1 with robots in real deployments, 18 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.