Advertising Sales Agents
Machines can already do 48% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 75%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Advertising Sales Agents in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 48% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 15% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2027, and 75% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 91,700 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $64,820 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 80% for contact with people.
- Also called: Advertising Account Executive, Advertising Account Representative, Advertising Consultant, Advertising Representative.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs and to protect and increase existing advertising | 14% | 81% to 97% | |
| Maintain assigned account bases while developing new accounts | 14% | 28% to 58% | |
| Locate and contact potential clients to offer advertising services | 12% | 35% to 70% | |
| Process all correspondence and paperwork related to accounts | 7% | 70% to 95% | |
| Explain to customers how specific types of advertising will help promote their products or services in the most effective way possible | 6% | 40% to 68% | |
| Obtain and study information about clients' products, needs, problems, advertising history, and business practices to offer effective sales presentations and appropriate product assistance | 6% | 84% to 97% | |
| Prepare promotional plans, sales literature, media kits, and sales contracts, using computer | 6% | 52% to 80% | |
| Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services | 5% | 25% to 50% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills advertising sales agents use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Advertising and Promotions Managers68% of tasks by 2035 · US median $133,660
- Online Merchants73% of tasks by 2035 · US median $83,050
- Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes60% of tasks by 2035 · US median $82,890
- Podcasters72% of tasks by 2035
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Advertising Sales Agents?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2027. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of advertising sales agents?
Machines can do 48% of the tasks of advertising sales agents today and 75% by 2035. Most of the routine work moves to machines, and the people in the job move to oversight, judgement and client work.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 41-3011.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Advertising Sales Agents: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/advertising-sales-agents/