Where AI Could Reshape the Most Jobs — 2026 Study

Few occupations have been immune to the effects of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. While recent research has tempered the most dire predictions of job loss, some occupations nonetheless face high levels of exposure to declining hiring demand, wage pressure, task automation and other forms of disruption. States with larger concentrations of highly exposed occupations could experience more pronounced labor-market changes, particularly in roles where core tasks are more vulnerable to AI-driven restructuring.

SmartAsset used the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data to calculate the percent of each state’s workforce employed in 26 positions classified at the highest risk of potential AI disruption according to June 2026 research by the Virginia Economic Information and Analytics Division. The results show where potential AI-related job disruption is most concentrated across the United States.

Key Findings

Washington has the highest concentration of AI-exposed jobs. Washington state ranks No. 1 in the study, with 5.7% of its workforce employed in occupations with the highest exposure to potential AI disruption. Home to major technology companies including Microsoft, Amazon, T-Mobile and Expedia, the state has large numbers of computer programmers and software developers, two occupations with high exposure.
Mississippi’s workforce is least exposed to AI disruption. Mississippi ranks No. 51 among the 50 states and Washington D.C., with just 1.9% of its workforce employed in occupations with the highest exposure to potential AI disruption.
A tale of two Dakotas. Despite similar populations, South Dakota ranks No. 11 in the study while North Dakota ranks No. 42. The difference could partly reflect South Dakota’s large financial-services sector, which contributes to a significantly higher concentration of bookkeepers and accounting clerks than in North Dakota. These two occupations are among those classified as highly exposed to potential AI disruption.
California and Texas have the most workers in high-exposure occupations. Both states each have at least 500,000 workers employed in occupations with high exposure to potential AI disruption.

Occupations Most Exposed to AI Disruption

Mathematicians
Proofreaders
Correspondence Clerks
Court Reporters
Media and Communication Workers
Computer Programmers
Database Administrators
Web Developers
Telephone Operators
Communications Equipment Operators
Data Entry Keyers
Statistical Assistants
Office Support Workers
Interpreters and Translators
Database Architects
Software Quality Assurance Analysts
Medical Transcriptionists
Software Developers
Writers and Authors
Payroll Clerks
Web Designers
Miscellaneous Computer Occupations
Insurance Claims Processors
Telemarketers
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers
Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks

Questions and Answers

Which state has the greatest concentration of workers in jobs highly exposed to potential AI disruption?

Washington state has the highest concentration of AI-exposed jobs with 5.7% of its workforce employed in 26 occupations considered at highest risk of potential AI disruption.

Which state has the lowest concentration of workers in jobs highly exposed to potential AI disruption?

Mississippi has the lowest concentration of AI-exposed jobs with 1.9% of its workforce employed in 26 occupations considered at highest risk of potential AI disruption.

Which state has the most workers employed in jobs highly exposed to potential AI disruption?

California. It has 724,370 persons employed in 26 occupations considered at highest risk of potential AI disruption.

What are the jobs at highest risk of AI disruption?

Mathematicians, proofreaders, correspondence clerks and court reporters are at highest risk of wage pressure, task automation, declining hiring demand and other forms of disruption.

Which states have the highest rates of workers using AI for job-related tasks?

An April 2026 SmartAsset study found that workers in Wyoming, Arizona and Missouri use AI for job-related tasks most frequently, with rates exceeding 25% in each state.

Methodology

The estimated number of jobs in 26 occupations identified at the highest risk of potential AI disruption according to June 2026 research by the Virginia Economic Information and Analytics Division was calculated for each state and the District of Columbia by referencing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupational wage data for May 2025, the most recent period available, then dividing the result by the total number of employees in all occupations within each state. In some cases, occupation titles were modified from BLS Standard Occupational Classification titles for presentation purposes; the underlying occupation definitions and codes were unchanged. Rankings are based on BLS point estimates and small differences between states should not be interpreted as statistically significant. This analysis measures employment concentration in occupations classified as highly AI-exposed; it does not estimate future job losses, wage changes or hiring declines. Source data providers are not affiliated with, and do not endorse or sponsor, this study or its findings.