BETA
Updated: Feb 6
BETA
Updated: Feb 6
Evolving
Last Update: 11/21/2025
Your role’s AI Resilience Score is
44.3%
Median Score
Changing Fast
Evolving
Stable
What does this resilience result mean?
These roles are shifting as AI becomes part of everyday workflows. Expect new responsibilities and new opportunities.
AI Resilience Report for
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
They ensure fair play in sports by enforcing rules, making calls, and resolving disputes during games.
Summary
The career of umpires and referees is considered "Evolving" because AI technology is increasingly being used to assist with precise measurements and clear rule checks, like timing races or determining if a ball is in or out. However, the core skills of referees, such as making complex judgments and managing players, still require human intuition and expertise.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoSummary
The career of umpires and referees is considered "Evolving" because AI technology is increasingly being used to assist with precise measurements and clear rule checks, like timing races or determining if a ball is in or out. However, the core skills of referees, such as making complex judgments and managing players, still require human intuition and expertise.
Read full analysisContributing Sources
AI Resilience
All scores are converted into percentiles showing where this career ranks among U.S. careers. For models that measure impact or risk, we flip the percentile (subtract it from 100) to derive resilience.
CareerVillage.org's AI Resilience Analysis
AI Task Resilience
Changing fast17.0%
17.0%
Microsoft's Working with AI
AI Applicability
Stable75.8%
75.8%
Will Robots Take My Job
Automation Resilience
Evolving31.3%
31.3%
Medium 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):
5.7%
Growth Percentile:
78.1%
Annual Openings:
4.6
Annual Openings Pct:
37.7%
Analysis of Current AI Resilience
Sports Officials
Updated Quarterly • Last Update: 11/21/2025
State of Automation & Augmentation
Many parts of officiating are already helped by technology. For example, races and games now use electronic timing: track and swimming events use fully automatic timers or sensors so officials don’t need to click stopwatches [1]. In ball sports, AI-assisted systems handle certain calls.
Tennis uses camera-based systems (like Hawk-Eye) to confirm if a ball is in or out [2]. Soccer and rugby use goal-line and video-review tech, and American football has cameras that automatically mark first downs [3] [2]. Even baseball has tested “robot umpires” to call balls and strikes using tracking data [4].
These tools augment referees by doing precise measurements or clear rule checks.
However, core referee skills still stay human. Complex judgments – like interpreting subtle fouls, applying context-sensitive rules, and keeping the game flowing — rely on people [5] [6]. For example, a new AI “SmartBall” in rugby can track kicks and pass directions, but it still can’t yet decide for sure if a try was grounded legally [6] [6].
Gymnastics now uses AI to spot tiny moves, but judges still confirm the scores [5]. In short, computers handle routine data (times, ball positions, simple offsides), but referees still must manage players and make final calls.
Sources
AI Adoption
High-level sports are investing in these tools because accuracy and fairness matter. Pro leagues (NFL, Premier League, major tennis tournaments) already use or test automated officiating technology [3] [6]. Big money and broadcast stakes push adoption: better calls build trust in the game.
For example, the NBA is building sensor systems to help referees [3]. These systems improve consistency and can reduce errors that human eyes might miss.
But adoption isn’t everywhere. High costs and tradition slow it down. Advanced systems need many cameras or special balls, so they’re mostly in elite leagues [6] [2].
Fans and officials often debate the trade-off between precision and keeping the human element [3] [5]. Some worry too much technology makes sports feel less natural (as seen when fans protested all-electronic line calls at Wimbledon [3]). Smaller or amateur leagues can’t afford such gear, and many subtle referee tasks (like managing players or judging intent) still require a thoughtful human.
Sources
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More Career Info
Career: Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Parent Careers
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$38,820
Jobs (2024)
19,300
Growth (2024-34)
+5.7%
Annual Openings
4,600
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
Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
2
Direct participants to assigned areas such as starting blocks or penalty areas.
3
Confer with other sporting officials, coaches, players, and facility managers in order to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.
4
Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
5
Inspect sporting equipment and/or examine participants in order to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
6
Start races and competitions.
7
Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
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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