Will AI replace interviewers?

Some tasks are already handled by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 3h 4m of an 8-hour shift goes to tasks that AI or robots largely take over. The other 4h 56m (62%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 10.4% fewer of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 4 of 16 tasks, about 3h 4m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Ask questions in accordance with instructions to obtain various specified information, such as person's name, address, age, religious preference, or state of residency. (1h 46m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Compile, record, and code results or data from interview or survey, using computer or specified form. (56m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Identify and report problems in obtaining valid data. (14m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Collect and analyze data, such as studying old records, tallying the number of outpatients entering each day or week, or participating in federal, state, or local population surveys as a Census Enumerator. (7m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

4h 56m of a typical shift, or 62%, 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:

• Assist individuals in filling out applications or questionnaires. (42m a shift)
• Ensure payment for services by verifying benefits with the person's insurance provider or working out financing options. (35m a shift)
• Perform office duties, such as telemarketing or customer service inquiries, maintaining staff records, billing patients, or receiving payments. (35m a shift)
• Review data obtained from interview for completeness and accuracy. (35m a shift)
• Perform patient services, such as answering the telephone or assisting patients with financial or medical questions. (35m 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:

• 100% are in constant contact with other people
• 85% work at arm's length or closer to other people
• 77% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important

We track 1 sourced company move that affects this job. Most recent:

• Sep 17, 2026: YouGov launches AI-moderated interviews for research studies (Rolling out)

For the 2 tasks in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 5h 26m for a person alone and about 26m 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:

• Compile, record, and code results or data from interview or survey, using computer or specified form (about 5h 58m alone, 28m with AI)
• Collect and analyze data, such as studying old records, tallying the number of outpatients entering each day or week, or participating in federal, state, or local population surveys as a Census Enumerator (about 4h 54m alone, 24m with AI)

On Indeed, job postings in the Customer Service sector are at 87% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), down 1.5% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 13,000 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 $45,920 a year ($22.08 an hour), 10% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $33,900 and $62,810 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 10.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 138,000 jobs in 2035. Even so, it expects about 13,000 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 148,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.10% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 216th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 138,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a high school diploma: about 42% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 3 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: vocational school or associate's degree. 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, Negotiation, Speaking, Service Orientation
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 4h 56m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Zoom, MEDITECH software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook
• 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:

• Patient Representatives (1h 46m touched, $50k median pay)
• Government Programs Eligibility Interviewers (32m touched, $54k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 4 observed in real AI use, 12 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.