Occupational therapists help people do everyday things again: getting dressed after a stroke, managing work with an injury, or using equipment at home. The work happens with a person, in a real setting, and depends on watching how they move and what they need.
The short answer: current evidence does not point to AI replacing occupational therapists. In the ILO's 2025 index, the group that includes them, health professionals not elsewhere classified, is rated not exposed to generative AI at 0.20. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 15 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, as the older adult population grows. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed occupational therapists 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapists | Minimal exposure | 0.28 |
| Health Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified | Not exposed | 0.20 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational therapists | Grow 15% | About 10,000 |
The BLS notes that older adults are more likely than younger people to experience disabilities and limitations in doing everyday tasks.
Where AI is helping
- Drafting evaluation notes and progress reports.
- Scheduling and reminders.
- Producing home exercise sheets and visual instructions.
- Insurance and documentation paperwork.
What stays with the occupational therapist
- Evaluation: watching a client perform tasks and understanding their history and goals.
- Treatment: designing activities and adjusting them session by session.
- Hands-on help: teaching daily living skills and demonstrating exercises.
- Equipment and families: recommending aids and showing clients and families how to use them.
- Checking: AI drafts can contain confident errors, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1), and client data is sensitive. See checking AI output and AI agents and personal data.
How the job is changing
Less time on notes and paperwork can mean more time with clients. The core of the job, working with a person on their daily life, is the part generative AI does not reach. This page describes the job market and is not medical advice.
See also will AI replace physical therapists?, will AI replace nurses?, will AI replace social workers? and will AI take my job?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for occupational therapists at $100,330 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: master's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace occupational therapists?
Not on current evidence. The ILO group that includes them is rated not exposed (0.20), and the BLS projects 15 percent US growth from 2025 to 2035.
Why is occupational therapist employment projected to grow?
The BLS links it to a growing older adult population, which is more likely to have limitations in everyday tasks.
How can AI help occupational therapists?
Mainly with notes, reports, scheduling, home exercise materials and paperwork.
What occupational therapy work stays human?
Evaluating clients, designing and adjusting treatment, hands-on teaching, recommending equipment and checking any AI output.