← All 785 jobsFile 29-1126
Respiratory Therapists
Mostly untouched
AI barely touches this work so far. The BLS expects 8.5% more of these jobs by 2035, faster than the 3.5% average.
Clinical work often uses specialised medical AI tools that consumer Copilot data does not see, so this file probably understates how much AI touches it.
- Rank
- #553 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +8.5% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $82,280 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 142,000 in the US, with about 8,600 openings a year
The work, 20 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
Still yours: Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient care12%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Train others on health or medical topics11%
AI does this in desk jobs, but in this one it is mostly hands-on.
Still yours: Administer emergency medical treatment7%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Maintain medical equipment or instruments7%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Administer diagnostic tests to assess patient health7%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Assist healthcare practitioners during medical procedures6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Monitor health conditions of humans or animals6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Prepare medical equipment or work areas for use4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Operate medical equipment4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Maintain health or medical records4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Collect information about patients or clients4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Explain medical information to patients or family members4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 230 Copilot conversations and completed it 96% of the time.
Still yours: Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Clean medical equipment or facilities4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Determine operational methods or procedures4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 461 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
Still yours: Monitor operations to ensure compliance with regulations or standards3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Treat injuries, illnesses, or diseases3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Transport patients or clients2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance2%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 510 conversations, and it got them there 94% of the time.
Still yours: Supervise personnel activities2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 109 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 8,600 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 39% of the workSurgical Assistants0% AI does, against 7% here+6.1% by 2035 · $66,800 · Postsecondary certificate
- Shares 45% of the workOccupational Therapy Aides0% AI does, against 7% here+3.6% by 2035 · $39,160 · High school diploma
- Shares 41% of the workLicensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses2% AI does, against 7% here+3% by 2035 · $64,400 · Postsecondary certificate
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.05, higher than 14% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Clinical work often uses specialised medical AI tools that consumer Copilot data does not see, so this file probably understates how much AI touches it.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 29-1126 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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