Switchboard operator
Runs telephone systems or switchboards to pass along incoming, outgoing, and office calls, and may give callers information and take messages.
Will AI replace switchboard operator jobs?
AI changes jobs more often than it replaces them. How much AI can help with this work: High. More AI overlap than 88 in 100 jobs. AI can help with many tasks. The job is changing fast, and people who use AI well will lead it. 39% of this job’s working time is already spent on tasks people bring to AI at work (Anthropic Economic Index). Based on Microsoft research on real AI use at work, matched to the tasks of each job in O*NET.
What AI already helps with
- Answer calls, greet callers, give information, transfer calls, or take messages
- Do admin tasks like taking orders, booking appointments, and handling faxes
- Do data entry and word processing, like updating phone lists and typing
What stays human
- Greet visitors, sign them in and out, give badges, and call escorts
- Handle cash tasks like collecting payments, making deposits, or managing petty cash
- Process incoming and outgoing mail, packages, and deliveries
10-year outlook · USA
Expected change in the number of these jobs by 2035: -26%. Typical pay: $38,630 a year. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. German figures differ, but the direction is usually similar.
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