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AI Job Risk

Occupation baseline · Research consensus

Will AI replace Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service?

Transitioning

Baseline AI displacement risk for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service, aggregated from 6 research sources.

What this score means

Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service is among the more exposed roles in Administration. A large share of the work, especially its routine and text heavy parts, is already within reach of current AI, though the harder judgment calls still need a person. At 59 out of 100 it scores 7 points above the Administration average of 52. Across the 6 sources behind this baseline, individual estimates run from 48 to 69, so the score is a weighted consensus rather than any single figure.

The number is a consensus estimate for the typical version of the role, built from published academic and industry research scored occupation by occupation. It is not a prediction about any individual. How scoring works

What this job actually involves

Exposure follows the work itself rather than the job title, so it is worth seeing what the role is made of. These are the tasks O*NET records for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service, most central first, showing 12 of 19.

  • 01Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address.
  • 02Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.
  • 03Greet visitors, log them in and out of the facility, assign them security badges, and contact employee escorts.
  • 04Monitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location.
  • 05Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness.
  • 06Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging or interoffice communication equipment.
  • 07Relay or route written or verbal messages.
  • 08Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.
  • 09Place telephone calls or arrange conference calls as instructed.
  • 10Process incoming or outgoing mail, packages, or deliveries.
  • 11Perform various data entry or word processing tasks, such as updating phone directories, typing or proofreading documents, or creating schedules.
  • 12Perform administrative tasks, such as accepting orders, scheduling appointments or meeting rooms, or sending and receiving faxes.

Task statements from O*NET by the National Center for O*NET Development, used under CC BY 4.0. The tasks are descriptive; the exposure score above is ours.

The research behind this score

This baseline aggregates 6 research sources that scored Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service for AI and automation exposure. More recent, higher confidence studies carry more weight in the final number.

Common questions

How likely is AI to replace Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service?
Published research puts Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service at 59 out of 100 for AI displacement risk, in the transitioning band. The number is a weighted consensus of 6 research sources and describes the typical version of the role, not any individual.
Do researchers agree on the risk for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service?
Only partly. Individual estimates for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service run from 48 to 69 out of 100 across the 6 sources behind this score, so the single number smooths over real disagreement. More recent and higher confidence studies carry more weight in it.
Which administration roles face similar AI exposure?
The closest published administration roles to Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service by score are Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants (59/100), Order Clerks (59/100), and Procurement Clerks (59/100). Each has its own page with the research behind its number.

Also covers

Answering Service Telephone Operator · CBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator) · Central Communications Specialist · Combination Operator · Command and Control Specialist · Communication Center Operator · Communications Coordinator · Communications Operator and related titles

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Informational guidance based on published research, not professional career or financial advice. Scores update as new research is ingested.