AI tools can now clean up audio, balance levels, switch camera feeds and caption live shows. Broadcast, sound, video and lighting technicians still set up and run the equipment, fix problems during live events and make the calls that keep a show on air.
The short answer: the ILO rates this work as only lightly exposed, but the BLS names AI as a reason for slower demand in some roles. The ILO's 2025 index rates broadcasting and audiovisual technicians at minimal exposure, with a score of 0.35. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 1 percent growth for the whole group from 2025 to 2035, with declines for broadcast, sound engineering and lighting technicians and growth for audio and video technicians, and about 9,800 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed broadcast and sound technicians are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcasting and Audio-visual Technicians | Minimal exposure | 0.35 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Audio and video technicians | Grow 4% | In total |
| Broadcast technicians | Decline 3% | In total |
| Sound engineering technicians | Decline 3% | In total |
| Lighting technicians | Decline 5% | In total |
| Total for the group | Grow 1% | About 9,800 |
The BLS names AI directly. It says film and sound recording will keep needing technicians to improve the quality of shows and movies, but that advances in technology, including artificial intelligence, will allow fewer technicians to set up and operate broadcast, lighting and sound systems, which is expected to reduce demand. It also expects more use of digital signs to raise demand for audio and video technicians.
What AI is taking on
- Noise removal, leveling and first-pass mixing.
- Automated camera switching and tracking for simpler productions.
- Live captions and transcripts.
- Scheduling and playout of recorded programs.
What stays with broadcast and sound technicians
- Live problem solving: fixing a failed feed or microphone while the show runs.
- Setup in real spaces: rigging, cabling and tuning sound for a room or venue.
- Quality calls: judging what sounds and looks right for the audience.
- Checking AI help: automated captions and mixes can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
The BLS expects fewer technicians to run each broadcast or show, while audio and video work for events, venues and digital signs grows. Skills in networked audio and video systems and the automated tools themselves fit where the work is heading. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also AI and unions (what the film and TV crew agreement says about AI), will AI replace broadcast announcers?, will AI replace video editors? and will AI replace producers and directors?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for broadcast and sound engineering technicians at $60,150 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The BLS says the education needed to enter varies; its profile explains the routes in. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace sound technicians?
Not entirely, but the BLS expects fewer to be needed. It projects a 3 percent decline for sound engineering technicians from 2025 to 2035 and names AI as one reason.
Does the BLS mention AI for broadcast technicians?
Yes. It says AI and other technology will allow fewer technicians to set up and operate broadcast, lighting and sound systems.
Which technician jobs are growing?
The BLS projects 4 percent growth for audio and video technicians, helped by more use of digital signs.
How many openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 9,800 openings a year across broadcast, sound, video and lighting technicians.