Paramedics

Paramedics score 15 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #683 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 13 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 1 on its own and 2 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 3 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

15/ 100

Low

Rank: #683of 923 jobs
US workers: 100,610BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $60,600a year
In real AI use: 3 of 13tasks, April–May 2026

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 1 (8%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 2 (15%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 10 (77%)

Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge.AI can speed this up on its own
Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Observe, record, and report to physician the patient's condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment.AI can speed this up with extra software
Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures.Little or no AI speed-up
Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.Little or no AI speed-up
Comfort and reassure patients.Little or no AI speed-up · Seen in real AI use
Coordinate with treatment center personnel to obtain patients' vital statistics and medical history, to determine the circumstances of the emergency, and to administer emergency treatment.Little or no AI speed-up
Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.Little or no AI speed-up
Instruct emergency medical response team about emergency interventions to ensure correct application of procedures.Little or no AI speed-up · Seen in real AI use
Operate equipment, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), external defibrillators, or bag valve mask resuscitators, in advanced life support environments.Little or no AI speed-up
Perform emergency cardiac care, such as cardioversion and manual defibrillation.Little or no AI speed-up
Perform emergency invasive intervention before delivering patient to an acute care facility.Little or no AI speed-up
Perform emergency pharmacological interventions.Little or no AI speed-up

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Questions about paramedics and AI

Will AI replace paramedics?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Paramedics score 15 out of 100 (low exposure), #683 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 3 of the job's 13 tasks, 1 of them on its own, while 10 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which paramedics tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge".

Which paramedics tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures"; "Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings"; "Comfort and reassure patients".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 3 of the 13 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as paramedics, and what do they earn?

About 100,610 people in the US, with median pay of $60,600 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.

Paramedics

Task by task

Similar jobs, lower exposure

Other jobs in this field

Questions about paramedics and AI

Know what's changing before it reaches your job.