AI tools can now draft clinical notes from a visit, suggest possible diagnoses and flag drug interactions. Physician assistants still examine patients, order and read tests, diagnose, treat and prescribe as part of a care team.
The short answer: current evidence does not point to AI replacing physician assistants. The ILO's 2025 index rates paramedical practitioners, the group that includes PAs, as not exposed, with a score of 0.23. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 21 percent growth for physician assistants from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 11,500 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed physician assistants 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Paramedical Practitioners | Not exposed | 0.23 |
The ILO scores groups of occupations, so this is the closest group for physician assistants, not a score for the job title itself.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistants | Grow 21% | About 11,500 |
The BLS says more older people and more patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes will increase healthcare demand, and that PAs can provide many of the same services as physicians. It expects PAs to keep expanding their role because they can be trained more quickly than physicians and team-based care is becoming more common. Its outlook does not mention AI.
Where AI is helping
- Drafting visit notes from recorded conversations.
- Summarizing charts, labs and history before a visit.
- Flagging drug interactions and missed screenings.
- Patient instructions and referral letters.
What stays with physician assistants
- Examination: talking with, observing and examining the patient.
- Clinical judgment: diagnosis and treatment decisions with a licensed person accountable.
- Procedures: hands-on care from suturing to injections.
- Checking AI help: drafted notes and suggestions can contain errors, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Documentation takes less time when AI scribes work well, and team-based care keeps widening the PA role. This page is general information, not medical advice.
See also will AI replace doctors?, will AI replace nurses? and will AI replace medical scribes?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for physician assistants at $135,880 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 physician assistants?
Not on current evidence. The ILO rates paramedical practitioners as not exposed, and the BLS projects 21 percent growth for PAs from 2025 to 2035.
Why is PA employment growing?
The BLS points to an aging population, chronic disease, faster training than physicians and more team-based care.
How many PA openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 11,500 openings a year.
What PA work stays human?
Examining patients, clinical judgment, procedures and checking AI-drafted notes.