Americans view certain professions as being at greater risk of automation than others % of U.S. adults who say it is likely thatthe following jobs will be replaced by robots or computers in their lifetimes
Americans believe automation will likely disrupt a number of professions, but fewer foresee their own jobs being at risk. In a survey conducted in May, a majority of U.S. adults said it is at least somewhat likely that jobs such as fast food worker (77%) and insurance claims processor (65%) will be mostly performed by machines in their lifetime, while around half expected the same to be true of jobs such as software engineer and legal clerk. On the other hand, only three-in-ten workers said it’s at least somewhat likely that their own jobs will be mostly done by robots or computers during their lifetimes, including just 7% who said this is very likely.
Americans view certain professions as being at greater  | risk of automation than others  | % of U.S. adults who say it is  | likely thatthe following jobs will be  | replaced by robots or computers in their lifetimes  | Not Not  | NET  | at all  | very Somewhat  | Very  | likelly  | Fast food worker  | 6% 17%  | 77%  | 39%  | 38%  | Insurance claims processor  | 27  | 44  | 22  | 65  | Software engineer  | 35  | 38  | 15  | 53  | 12  | 13  | 50  | Legal clerk  | 12  | 38  | 36  | Construction worker  | 19  | 39  | 32  | 10  | 42  | Teacher  | 26  | 38  | 26  | 10  | 36  | Own job or profession  | 30  | 40  | 23  | 30  | Nurse  | 34  | 46  | 16  | 20  | Note Data for "own job or profession" is based on those who are currently employed.  | Respondents who did not give an answerare notshown.  | Source Survey conducted May 1-15 2017.  | "Automation in Everyday Life"  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 