15 Jobs That Could Disappear Over the Next 15 Years as Technology Advances

Automation, AI, and structural shifts in the economy are quietly erasing entire job categories, and it is no longer a matter of speculation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2024-34 Employment Projections, the most current outlook available, identifies specific occupations expected to shrink significantly over the next decade. The driving forces are consistent across nearly every entry on the list: AI-based systems handling work that used to require a person, e-commerce eliminating in-person and phone-based roles, and manufacturing automation reducing the need for routine production work.

For some workers, this shift has already opened the door to remote work in adjacent fields as employers restructure around fewer in-house clerical roles. For others, it signals a more direct threat to their current job. Here are 15 occupations the BLS expects to decline the fastest through 2034.

Word processors and typists

Projected decline: -36%

This is consistently one of the steepest declines in the BLS data. AI-assisted writing tools, dictation software, and built-in formatting features in everyday office software have eliminated most of the need for a dedicated typing role.

Telephone operators

Projected decline: -27.5%

Automated phone systems and AI voice assistants now handle most call routing and directory assistance that human operators once managed, a trend that has been underway for years and shows no sign of reversing.

Switchboard operators

Projected decline: -26%

Closely related to telephone operators, this role has been displaced by automated call routing and unified communications systems that most modern offices now use by default.

Data entry keyers

Projected decline: -26%

AI and optical character recognition tools now handle data capture and form processing faster and with fewer errors than manual entry, displacing much of this role's core function.

Telemarketers

Projected decline: -22%

Digital advertising, targeted email campaigns, and AI-driven outreach tools have reduced the economic case for outbound phone-based sales, a role that has been shrinking for over a decade.

Order clerks

Projected decline: -17%

Online ordering systems and self-service checkout have taken over much of the work order clerks used to perform, a shift the BLS specifically attributes to increased use of online ordering and self-service systems.

Payroll and timekeeping clerks

Projected decline: -17%

Automated payroll software now handles calculations, tax withholding, and compliance reporting with minimal human oversight, reducing the need for dedicated clerks to manage these functions manually.

File clerks

Projected decline: -16%

Electronic filing systems and cloud-based document sharing have largely replaced physical record-keeping, and the BLS notes that file sharing software now allows other office workers to absorb tasks file clerks once handled independently.

Bank tellers

Projected decline: -13%

Mobile deposit, online banking, and advanced ATM functionality have replaced the bulk of routine teller transactions, continuing a long-term decline that shows no sign of slowing.

General office clerks

Projected decline: -7%

The BLS projects continued use of technology that automates document preparation and routine clerical tasks, including automated phone systems, will reduce demand for this broad role, even though about 282,400 openings are still projected annually due to turnover.

Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Projected decline: -5%

This decline is smaller in percentage terms but significant given the role's size. The BLS specifically attributes this decline to AI tools that can assess photographs of property damage, thereby improving efficiency in generating payout estimates and reducing the number of adjusters needed for routine claims.

Postal service clerks and mail sorters

Projected decline: -5%

Email, digital billing, and declining first-class mail volume, down nearly 50% since 2007, continue to shrink the workforce needed to sort and process physical mail.

Computer support specialists

Projected decline: -3%

BLS data shows that organizations increasingly use automated tools, including chatbots, for routine troubleshooting, which is expected to reduce the number of support specialists needed even as the more complex cases that remain require skilled workers.

Information clerks

Projected decline: -3%

This category includes order clerks and human resources assistants, both of which the BLS specifically cites as affected by increased online ordering and self-service systems.

Proofreaders and copy markers

Projected decline: -0.6%

AI-powered grammar and style-checking tools, now built directly into word processors and content platforms, handle much of the routine proofreading work that once required a dedicated human reviewer.

Bottom line

None of this is a reason to despair, even if you currently work in one of these roles. The skills gained in clerical, administrative, and customer-facing positions, such as attention to detail, communication, scheduling, and systems knowledge, can open the door to careers in growing fields like healthcare administration, logistics coordination, and technical support for the automation systems that are changing the workplace.

Retraining resources are widely available and often underused. Community colleges frequently offer short-term certificate programs aligned with local labor market demand, and federal workforce development grants, including those administered through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, can cover tuition and training costs for eligible workers in declining occupations. For anyone trying to get ahead financially amid this shift, the practical move is to treat a declining occupation as an early warning sign worth acting on now, rather than a crisis to deal with once the job is already gone.