Top executives plan strategies and policies so an organization meets its goals. The group includes chief executives and general and operations managers, who run day-to-day operations. AI can brief, summarize and model options faster than any staff. Choosing, persuading and answering for the result are still the job.
The short answer: AI changes how executives work, not whether they are needed. The ILO's 2025 index rates managing directors and chief executives at minimal exposure with a score of 0.38. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5 percent growth for top executives from 2025 to 2035, faster than average, with about 304,100 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed top executives 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Managing Directors and Chief Executives | Minimal exposure | 0.38 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Chief executives | Grow 3% | In total |
| General and operations managers | Grow 5% | In total |
| Total for top executives | Grow 5% | About 304,100 |
Most of the growth is for general and operations managers. The BLS outlook does not mention AI.
Where AI is helping
- Briefings that summarize reports, markets and meetings.
- Drafting memos, speeches and board materials.
- Modeling scenarios as a starting point for decisions.
- Operations dashboards that surface problems sooner.
What stays with top executives
- Strategy: choosing a direction under uncertainty.
- People: hiring leaders, setting culture and handling hard conversations.
- Accountability: answering to boards, owners, regulators and staff.
- AI decisions: where the organization uses AI and how its workforce changes; see AI policy for employees.
- Checking AI help: a confident briefing can contain made-up facts, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Executives now decide how AI reshapes their own organizations, from tools to roles to training. Getting that right for workers and the business is a growing part of the job. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace project managers?, will AI replace consultants? and will AI replace industrial production managers?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for top executives at $108,780 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 CEOs?
Not on current projections. The BLS projects 3 percent growth for chief executives and 5 percent for top executives overall from 2025 to 2035.
How exposed are top executives to AI?
The ILO rates managing directors and chief executives at minimal exposure, with a score of 0.38.
How many openings are expected?
About 304,100 a year for top executives on average over the decade, according to the BLS.
What does AI change for executives?
Faster briefings and analysis, plus new decisions about how the organization uses AI and how roles change.