Will AI replace switchboard operators?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 4h 7m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 3h 53m (49%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 26% fewer of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 4 of 19 tasks, about 4h 7m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary. (2h 58m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness. (27m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Perform various data entry or word processing tasks, such as updating phone directories, typing or proofreading documents, or creating schedules. (21m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Perform administrative tasks, such as accepting orders, scheduling appointments or meeting rooms, or sending and receiving faxes. (21m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

Not in workplaces like this one, based on a 2026 review of robot deployments. 2 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here.

3h 53m of a typical shift, or 49%, 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:

• Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address. (1h 2m a shift)
• Greet visitors, log them in and out of the facility, assign them security badges, and contact employee escorts. (27m a shift)
• Monitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location. (21m a shift)
• Relay or route written or verbal messages. (21m a shift)
• Process incoming or outgoing mail, packages, or deliveries. (21m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 99% are in constant contact with other people
• 87% talk face to face with others every day
• 78% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important

For the 1 task in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 1h 32m for a person alone and about 8m with AI. These are Claude's own estimates from real conversations in April and May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index). They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. The biggest gaps:

• Perform various data entry or word processing tasks, such as updating phone directories, typing or proofreading documents, or creating schedules (about 1h 32m alone, 8m with AI)

The median pay is about $38,630 a year ($18.57 an hour), 24% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $29,990 and $59,470 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects a decline of 26% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 26,000 jobs in 2035. Even so, it expects about 3,100 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 34,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.02% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 452nd largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 26,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a high school diploma: about 89% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. 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:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Service Orientation
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 3h 53m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Microsoft PowerPoint
• Learn to use AI well on the tasks where it already shows up in this job (listed above)

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. 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:

• Telephone Operators (53m touched, $42k median pay)
• Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks (1h 20m touched, $49k median pay)
• Word Processors and Typists (2h 21m touched, $49k median pay)
• Court, Municipal, and License Clerks (1h 28m touched, $49k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 4 observed in real AI use, 15 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.