Technical writers turn products into instructions: user manuals, API references, setup guides, help centers and release notes. AI tools can now draft much of this from code, specifications and tickets. The harder part is still making sure the docs are right and that people can follow them.
The short answer: AI is changing technical writing more than replacing it, but it is slowing job growth. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 1 percent growth for technical writers from 2025 to 2035, slower than average, and says AI tools that let these workers be more productive may limit growth. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed technical writing is
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) |
|---|---|---|
| Authors and Related Writers | Gradient 3 | 0.55 |
| Software Developers | Gradient 3 | 0.53 |
The ILO index does not list technical writers separately. Writers are the closest group, and developers are shown because much documentation work sits next to theirs.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Technical writers | Grow 1% | About 3,200 |
Docs tasks AI is taking on
- First drafts of API references from code and comments.
- Release notes from tickets and change logs.
- Rewriting and restructuring existing articles.
- Code samples and step lists.
- Keeping terms consistent across a doc set.
What stays with the technical writer
- Accuracy: testing that the steps work and the code runs. AI can produce confident but wrong instructions, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
- User needs: the BLS lists determining the needs of users of technical documentation among the core duties.
- Working with product teams: talking with designers and developers to find out what really changed.
- Structure: deciding what a doc set covers, in what order, for which reader.
- Safety and compliance content: warnings and instructions where an error can hurt someone.
How the job is changing
Drafting is getting faster, so the role leans toward information architecture, testing, editing AI drafts and owning a doc set. Technical writers who can read code, work in docs-as-code tools and verify output are in the stronger position. For writing jobs more broadly, see will AI replace writers?
See also will AI replace software engineers?, will AI replace UX designers? and will AI take my job?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for technical writers at $90,390 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: bachelor's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace technical writers?
It is changing the work and slowing growth rather than removing the role. The BLS projects 1 percent growth from 2025 to 2035 and says AI tools that make technical writers more productive may limit growth.
How many technical writer openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 3,200 openings a year, mostly from replacing workers who retire or change jobs.
Can AI write API documentation?
It can draft references from code and comments, but someone has to test that the details and examples are correct.
What technical writing work stays human?
Testing accuracy, understanding users, working with product teams, structuring doc sets and safety-critical content.