Funeral homes now use software for online arrangements, livestreamed services and digital obituaries, and AI tools can draft an obituary or a service program. Funeral directors still guide grieving families, care for the deceased and run services where every detail matters.
The short answer: current evidence does not point to AI replacing funeral directors. The ILO's 2025 index rates undertakers and embalmers as not exposed, with a score of 0.17. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4 percent growth for funeral service workers from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as average, with about 5,600 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed funeral directors 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Undertakers and Embalmers | Not exposed | 0.17 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral home managers | Grow 4% | In total |
| Morticians, undertakers and funeral arrangers | Grow 3% | In total |
| Funeral service workers, total | Grow 4% | About 5,600 |
The BLS says more people prearranging end-of-life services will need these workers, while a growing preference for cremation, which needs fewer workers, will constrain demand. Because most cremations still involve a memorial or funeral, it expects funeral home managers to be needed to guide families and plan services. Its outlook does not mention AI.
Where AI is helping
- First drafts of obituaries, programs and tributes.
- Online arrangement forms and preplanning.
- Livestreams and digital memorial pages.
- Paperwork, permits and scheduling.
What stays with funeral directors
- Families: guiding people through decisions on one of the hardest days of their lives.
- Care of the deceased: embalming, preparation and handling with dignity.
- Services: coordinating clergy, cemeteries, crematories and families in real time.
- Checking AI help: drafted obituaries can get names, dates and facts wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Admin and writing go faster, and families increasingly expect online planning and streaming. The core of the work, care and presence, stays human.
See also will AI replace event planners?, will AI replace social workers? and will AI replace therapists?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for funeral service occupations at $61,410 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: associate's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace funeral directors?
Not on current evidence. The ILO rates undertakers and embalmers as not exposed, and the BLS projects 4 percent growth for funeral service workers from 2025 to 2035.
Does the BLS mention AI for funeral jobs?
No. It points to preplanning and to the shift toward cremation, which needs fewer workers.
How many funeral service openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 5,600 openings a year, on average, over the decade.
What funeral work stays human?
Guiding families, caring for the deceased, running services and checking drafted text.