Word Processors and Typists
Machines can already do 54% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 83%. Most of the work is changing now.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Word Processors and Typists in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 54% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 24% of them.
- Forecast: machines can already do half of its tasks, and 83% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 35,010 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $49,280 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 75% for contact with people.
- Also called: Clerk Specialist, Clerk Typist, Keyboard Specialist, Stenographer.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type correspondence, reports, text and other written material from rough drafts, corrected copies, voice recordings, dictation, or previous versions, using a computer, word processor, or typewriter | 25% | 65% to 92% | |
| Perform other clerical duties, such as answering telephone, sorting and distributing mail, running errands or sending faxes | 11% | 20% to 60% | |
| Check completed work for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and format | 11% | 74% to 94% | |
| File and store completed documents on computer hard drive or disk, or maintain a computer filing system to store, retrieve, update, and delete documents | 5% | 20% to 60% | |
| Electronically sort and compile text and numerical data, retrieving, updating, and merging documents as required | 5% | 83% to 97% | |
| Adjust settings for format, page layout, line spacing, and other style requirements | 5% | 65% to 92% | |
| Gather, register, and arrange the material to be typed, following instructions | 5% | 20% to 60% | |
| Print and make copies of work | 4% | 30% to 75% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills word processors and typists use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- File Clerks71% of tasks by 2035 · US median $43,600
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks77% of tasks by 2035 · US median $48,700
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants81% of tasks by 2035 · US median $55,570
- Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers72% of tasks by 2035 · US median $58,650
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Word Processors and Typists?
Machines can already do half of its tasks. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of word processors and typists?
Machines can do 54% of the tasks of word processors and typists today and 83% 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 43-9022.00 (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). Word Processors and Typists: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/word-processors-and-typists/