Not Very Resilient
Last Update: 5/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Sales and Related Workers:
34.9%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Low
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Med
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
Limited data sources are available, or existing sources show notable disagreement on the outlook for this occupation.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forSales and Related Workers, All Other
$46,370 median salary•16,000 annual openings•SOC Code: 41-9099.00
Sales and Related Workers, All Other are less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 3 sources.
Sales and related roles are labeled "Not Very Resilient" because AI is already handling a big chunk of the routine work that many sales workers — especially newer ones — spend most of their time on, like researching leads, drafting outreach messages, updating records, and qualifying customers. With 87% of sales organizations already using AI across these everyday tasks, the entry-level and assistant-level positions that used to be the starting point for a sales career are shrinking fast.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreThis role is not very resilient
Sales and related roles are labeled "Not Very Resilient" because AI is already handling a big chunk of the routine work that many sales workers — especially newer ones — spend most of their time on, like researching leads, drafting outreach messages, updating records, and qualifying customers. With 87% of sales organizations already using AI across these everyday tasks, the entry-level and assistant-level positions that used to be the starting point for a sales career are shrinking fast.
Read full analysisAnalysis of Current AI Resilience
Sales and Related Workers
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Sales and Related Workers jobs?
For people working in general sales roles, AI is already doing a real share of the day-to-day work — but mostly as a helper, not a replacement. According to the Salesforce State of Sales 2026 report covered by CX Today [1], AI agents can now research accounts, prioritize leads, draft outreach, update CRM records, and follow up with limited human input, and 87% of sales organizations are using AI across cycle tasks. The Sales Management Association's 2026 benchmarking research [2] describes today's workplace as a "jagged frontier" with few accepted practices and wide variation in AI tool adoption, while measuring AI's expected impact on sales worker replacement, augmentation, and staffing models.
BCG's April 2026 analysis [3] puts sales-related roles in its "divergent" category: AI automates routine activities such as lead qualification, quote generation, and policy comparisons — tasks often handled by entry-level employees or sales assistants — while higher-value activities like policy advisory and long-term client relationship management shift to humans.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Sales and Related Workers?
Adoption is moving fast because the tools are cheap, off-the-shelf, and tied directly to revenue. Sales & Marketing Management reports [4] that AI tools can raise the floor by standardizing best practices and accelerating learning, but they can't replace the human elements that define great selling. Still, there are real risks for newer workers: Yale Insights notes [5] that Salesforce cut roughly 4,000 customer-service positions after AI agents began handling about half of customer interactions, and the Dallas Fed found [6] that first-line supervisors of retail sales workers fall into the "most AI exposure" category, while driver/sales workers and retail salespersons face moderate exposure.
The good news: empathy, trust-building, and judgment on complex deals are still where humans clearly win — so leaning into people skills, learning to use AI tools, and moving toward advisory work are smart, hopeful moves for anyone starting out in sales today.
Sources
Will AI replace Sales and Related Workers?
In part. We think AI will eventually automate a real share of this work, but the human side of selling still matters and there are real paths forward for people willing to adapt.
Our 34.9% AI Resilience Score reflects how exposed this role already is. AI agents can now research accounts, prioritize leads, draft outreach, and update CRM records with limited human input, and 87% of sales organizations are already using AI across those tasks [1]. Entry-level and support-heavy sales work faces the sharpest pressure: BCG puts sales roles in a "divergent" category where routine tasks like lead qualification and quote generation are the first to go [3]. Salesforce's own workforce is a real-world signal, having cut roughly 4,000 customer-service positions after AI handled about half of customer interactions [5].
What stays human is meaningful: empathy, trust-building, and judgment on complex deals are still where people clearly win [4]. The smarter move for anyone starting out is to treat this role as a launching pad. Learn to use AI tools rather than compete with them, build genuine client relationships, and move toward advisory work over time. The skills that make a great salesperson, reading people, solving problems, earning trust, travel well across careers even as the entry-level tasks change.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Sales and Related Workers
As AI technologies evolve, sales careers will face significant changes. Articles highlight how AI could replace traditional sales roles, as seen in the layoffs at Atlassian, where 10% of the workforce was cut to integrate AI into operations. However, Walmart's CEO emphasizes that AI will transform jobs rather than eliminate them entirely, suggesting a shift towards roles that leverage AI tools. Students in sales should focus on developing skills that complement AI, ensuring they remain resilient and adaptable in a changing job landscape.
‘Devastating blow’: Atlassian lays off 1,600 workers ahead of AI push
www.theguardian.com • 3/11/2026
Layoffs to affect 10% of workforce amid Australian company's restructuring plan to push into artificial intelligence and enterprise sales.
AI expected to heavily cut jobs in sales, manufacturing over next decade
www.koreatimes.co.kr • 2/12/2026
Korea's latest 10-year employment outlook has delivered a stark message for workers: Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant...
AI at Work: How AI Could Transform the Labour Market and the Economy
www.ibisworld.com • 11/14/2025
AI was supposed to boost productivity in the UK, but the full picture of its impact on labour is far more complicated.
Walmart CEO Issues Wake-Up Call: ‘AI Is Going to Change Literally Every Job’
www.wsj.com • 9/26/2025
Head count expected to stay flat over next three years, despite growth plans, as AI eliminates or transforms roles.
The effects of AI on firms and workers
www.brookings.edu • 7/1/2025
Synthesis of new research assessing the real-world impacts of artificial intelligence on firms and workers.
More Career Info
Career: Sales and Related Workers, All Other
They help sell products or services by talking to customers, answering questions, and ensuring they find what they need.
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$46,370
Jobs (2024)
122,600
Growth (2024-34)
+3.7%
Annual Openings
16,000
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
