BETA
Updated: Mar 24
BETA
Updated: Mar 24
Changing fast
Last Update: 3/13/2026
Your role’s AI Resilience Score is
0.9%
Median Score
Changing Fast
Evolving
Stable
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.
What does this resilience result mean?
These roles are undergoing rapid transformation. Entry-level tasks may be automated, and career paths may look different in the near future.
AI Resilience Report for
Telephone Operators
They connect phone calls, help people find phone numbers, and provide information to ensure clear and smooth communication.
This role is changing fast
The career of a telephone operator is changing fast because many routine tasks, like connecting calls and looking up numbers, are now automated by AI and digital systems. This means fewer operators are needed for basic duties, but there are still important opportunities for those who can handle complex or sensitive situations that require human understanding and empathy.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreThis role is changing fast
The career of a telephone operator is changing fast because many routine tasks, like connecting calls and looking up numbers, are now automated by AI and digital systems. This means fewer operators are needed for basic duties, but there are still important opportunities for those who can handle complex or sensitive situations that require human understanding and empathy.
Read full analysisContributing Sources
We aggregate scores from multiple models and supplement with employment projections for a more accurate picture of this occupation’s resilience. Expand to view all sources.
AI Resilience
AI Resilience Model v1.0
AI Task Resilience
CareerVillage's proprietary model that estimates how resilient each occupation's tasks are to AI automation and augmentation
Changing fast0.2%
0.2%
Microsoft's Working with AI
AI Applicability
Measures how applicable AI tools (like Bing Copilot) are to each occupation based on real usage patterns
Changing fast0.9%
0.9%
Will Robots Take My Job
Automation Resilience
Estimates the probability of automation for each occupation based on research from Oxford University and other academic sources
Changing fast2.4%
2.4%
Althoff & Reichardt
Economic Growth
Measured as "Wage bill" which is a long term projection for average wage × employment. It's the total labor income flowing to an occupation
Changing fast1%
1%
Low Demand
Labor Market Outlook
We use BLS employment projections to complement the AI-focused assessments from other sources.
Learn about this scoreGrowth Rate (2024-34):
-27.5%
Growth Percentile:
0.3%
Annual Openings:
300
Annual Openings Pct:
2.2%
Analysis of Current AI Resilience
Telephone Operators
Updated Quarterly • Last Update: 2/17/2026
What's changing and what's not
Today, most classic “switchboard” tasks of telephone operators are automated by digital systems. For example, connecting calls by observing lights and plugging lines was replaced decades ago with electronic switching [1] [2]. Similarly, looking up numbers or listings in directories is now usually done by search engines or automated voice systems [2] [3].
Bureau of Labor Statistics data show only about 4,000 telephone operators remain in 2021 (down from hundreds of thousands in the past) [3]. In practice, many routine inquiries go through interactive voice menus or AI assistants rather than a person. At the same time, operators’ roles have shifted.
Companies often give agents AI “co-pilots” that display customer profiles and suggest answers, so workers spend less time on rote tasks [4]. Importantly, some duties still need humans. For instance, BLS notes operators may “handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities” [5] – situations that require understanding and empathy.
Even paging systems (bells or buzzers) are now often automated. In short, AI and software handle most routine work (dialing, info lookup, pages), while humans focus on harder, sensitive cases [2] [4].
Sources
AI in the real world
Telephone-answering technology is already mature, so companies can adopt AI quickly for cost savings. Many call centers now use voice-recognition and chatbot services to handle basic queries around the clock. For example, one firm replaced 700 of 3,000 agents with AI chatbots to cut costs [4].
With operators earning roughly $19.99/hour on average [5], businesses see big savings by using software 24/7. AI also boosts efficiency: it can sort customer questions, suggest alternate spelling or phone listings, and even learn on the job. This has led major call centers to invest in AI tools (as news reports on Philippine call centers entering “AI fever” testify).
Adoption isn’t total, however. Some callers still insist on a human. People often “zero out” of confusing menus to reach a person [4], and lawmakers have even proposed guaranteeing an option to talk to a human agent [4].
Complex or emergency issues (like health or identity problems) still benefit from a human touch [5] [4]. Ethical rules and privacy laws in medicine and safety can also limit pure automation. In sum, experts expect AI to handle most routine call-routing and inquiries, but well-trained humans will remain crucial for difficult, sensitive, or unusual situations [4] [4].
The jobs may change, but skills like clear communication, empathy, and problem-solving will still be valuable in phone support.
Sources
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More Career Info
Career: Telephone Operators
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$39,130
Jobs (2024)
4,000
Growth (2024-34)
-27.5%
Annual Openings
300
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Operate paging systems or other systems of bells or buzzers to notify recipients of incoming calls.
2
Provide relay service for hearing-impaired users.
3
Promote company products, services, and savings plans when appropriate.
4
Offer special assistance to persons such as those who are unable to dial or who are in emergency situations.
5
Interrupt busy lines if an emergency warrants.
6
Consult charts to determine charges for pay-telephone calls, requesting coin deposits for calls as necessary.
7
Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
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