Survey Shows AI Automation Limited by Nontechnical Barriers and Human Preference
Key Points
- SHRM survey finds 15.1% of U.S. jobs have at least half of tasks automated.
- Only about 6% of jobs are truly at risk of displacement due to nontechnical barriers.
- Client preference, legal constraints, and cost‑effectiveness limit AI adoption.
- Computer‑heavy roles show higher automation potential than people‑focused jobs.
- Health‑care and personal‑service occupations remain largely insulated from automation.
- People‑skills and problem‑solving are increasingly valued over pure technical ability.
- Public concerns persist, but data suggests a gradual rather than abrupt impact on employment.
A recent SHRM survey of U.S. workers reveals that while a notable share of tasks can be automated, only a small fraction of jobs are truly at risk. Nontechnical barriers such as client preferences, regulatory constraints, and cost considerations play a major role in limiting AI adoption across occupations. The findings suggest that people‑focused skills remain essential, especially in health‑care and personal‑service roles, and that the AI impact on employment may be more gradual than some industry forecasts predict.
Scope of the SHRM Survey
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) surveyed a broad cross‑section of U.S. workers to assess how many job tasks are already automated and how many could be handled by generative AI. The survey examined both technical feasibility and nontechnical barriers that might prevent automation.
Automation Potential vs. Actual Risk
Results indicate that roughly 15.1% of U.S. jobs have at least half of their tasks automated, and about 7.8% have at least half of their tasks possible with generative AI. However, only about 6% of jobs are considered genuinely vulnerable to displacement because they lack significant nontechnical barriers.
Key Nontechnical Barriers
Three primary nontechnical factors limit AI adoption:
- Client Preference: Many customers prefer human interaction, as illustrated by the example of airline passengers who would feel uneasy with an unmanned cockpit.
- Legal and Regulatory Constraints: Union contracts and existing regulations can restrict AI deployment, though these may evolve as technology advances.
- Cost‑Effectiveness: Automation may make financial sense for large retailers but not for smaller, independent businesses that rely on human staff.
Industry‑Specific Findings
Jobs heavily reliant on computation and mathematics, such as certain engineering and management roles, show higher automation potential, with about 12.8% of those positions having at least half of their tasks automated without clear barriers. In contrast, occupations that involve extensive human‑to‑human interaction—particularly health‑care practitioners, personal‑care workers, and social‑service professionals—show the lowest automation rates, with only about 3% of those jobs meeting the 50% automation threshold.
Implications for the Workforce
The survey underscores the importance of people‑skills over purely technical abilities. As AI continues to evolve, organizations will likely seek employees who excel in general problem‑solving, communication, and empathy. The findings also temper more extreme forecasts that predict massive job loss, suggesting instead a gradual reshaping of the workplace where AI augments rather than replaces human workers.
Public Perception
Public opinion remains cautious, with a Pew Research Center poll indicating that 64% of Americans expect fewer jobs in the next two decades because of AI. Nevertheless, the SHRM data provides a more nuanced view, highlighting that many jobs will persist due to the barriers that technology alone cannot overcome.