Will AI replace private detectives and investigators?

Not on current evidence. Less than 30 minutes of a typical shift goes to tasks that AI or robots are doing today. The other 8h (100%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 5.5% 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.

Not in workplaces like this one, based on a 2026 review of robot deployments. 1 more task has only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so it stays with people here. For 2 physical tasks, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

8h of a typical shift, or 100%, 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:

• Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations. (1h 22m a shift)
• Write reports or case summaries to document investigations. (1h 16m a shift)
• Observe and document activities of individuals to detect unlawful acts or to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video cameras. (1h 10m a shift)
• Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history. (47m a shift)
• Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases. (47m 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:

• 76% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important
• 56% are in constant contact with other people

On Indeed, job postings in the Security & Public Safety sector are at 119% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 4.4% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 3,200 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 $51,220 a year ($24.62 an hour), about the same as the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $36,740 and $97,630 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 growth of 5.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 42,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 3,200 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 36,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.02% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 444th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 42,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a bachelor's degree: about 38% 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, Complex Problem Solving, Speaking, Critical Thinking
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 8h of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel, Facebook, Microsoft Access

Yes. Occupational experts recently added these to the official task list, a sign of how the work itself is shifting. New tasks aren't rated for AI or robots yet:

• Serve documents to parties named in legal proceedings.
• Use advanced technology, such as drones, GPS trackers, and surveillance cameras, to facilitate investigations.

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:

• Detectives and Criminal Investigators (1h 3m touched, $94k median pay)
• Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts (1h 9m touched, $81k median pay)
• Intelligence Analysts (49m touched, $94k median pay)
• Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (1h 47m touched, $76k median pay)
• Retail Loss Prevention Specialists (1h 29m touched, $43k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 14 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.