Mental Health Counselors
Machines can already do 36% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 55%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Mental Health Counselors in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 36% of this job's tasks.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2033, and 55% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Contact with people: it scores 78% for contact with people.
- Also called: Behavior Analyst, Behavioral Health Counselor, Case Manager, Clinician.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes | 21% | 32% to 50% | |
| Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships | 13% | 32% to 50% | |
| Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems | 13% | 22% to 42% | |
| Fill out and maintain client-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, client diagnostic records, and progress notes | 8% | 63% to 81% | |
| Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports | 8% | 63% to 81% | |
| Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge | 4% | 32% to 55% | |
| Collect information about clients through interviews, observation, or tests | 4% | 73% to 82% | |
| Collaborate with mental health professionals and other staff members to perform clinical assessments or develop treatment plans | 4% | 30% to 54% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills mental health counselors use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistants50% of tasks by 2035 · US median $48,430
- Healthcare Social Workers54% of tasks by 2035 · US median $67,880
- Psychiatric Technicians32% of tasks by 2035 · US median $45,130
- Marriage and Family Therapists54% of tasks by 2035 · US median $66,940
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Mental Health Counselors?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2033. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of mental health counselors?
Machines can do 36% of the tasks of mental health counselors today and 55% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 21-1014.00 (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). Mental Health Counselors: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/mental-health-counselors/