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Introduction: A New Lens on AI’s Impact at Work

AI is here. Not as a distant concept, but as a powerful daily presence in offices, schools, customer service centres, creative studios and yes, even IT companies like ours at System Plus. But with every new leap in AI, one question keeps cropping up:
Whose jobs are safe, and whose aren’t?

Microsoft has recently published one of the most comprehensive studies to date on this very subject, analysing how different professions interact with AI tools, particularly through its own Copilot products. Their findings shed light on which jobs are most exposed to AI and which remain firmly rooted in the hands of real people.

Let’s take a look at what it all means, and how small businesses in East Yorkshire (and beyond) can stay ahead of the curve.

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The Study: How Microsoft Measured Job Exposure to AI

Rather than simply guessing or relying on abstract modelling, Microsoft used real-world usage data. By studying over 200,000 anonymised Bing Copilot interactions, they identified tasks where generative AI tools are already being actively used to assist or even automate work.

The result is a revealing list: 40 occupations most exposed to AI, and 40 least exposed. But rather than triggering panic, the report encourages adaptation over fear. AI, after all, doesn’t always replace, it often assists.

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Most At Risk: Roles AI Can Already Do (or Help With)

At the top of the exposure list are roles that rely heavily on written communication, structured thinking, and digital data analysis.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the jobs most exposed to AI:

• Writers and Authors
• Technical Writers
• Translators and Interpreters
• Customer Service Representatives
• Editors and Proofreaders
• Data Scientists
• Market Research Analysts
• Sales Reps (especially for services)
• Journalists
• Historians

These jobs often involve tasks that AI is already getting good at: drafting copy, summarising text, generating reports, analysing trends, or translating languages.

Take a writer, for example. AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can now generate blog posts, emails, or articles in seconds. A journalist may find AI summarising breaking news faster than they can type. A data analyst might be replaced by an AI model that spots patterns in spreadsheets quicker than any human eye.

But here’s the catch: AI still lacks the context, creativity, empathy, and ethical judgement that humans bring to the table. That’s where the opportunity lies.

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Least At Risk: Roles AI Can’t Touch (Yet)

At the other end of the spectrum, Microsoft identified roles that are minimally exposed to AI. These are mostly physical or hands-on jobs requiring manual labour, human intuition, or person-to-person interaction.

Here are a few examples from the “safe” list:

• Nursing Assistants
• Phlebotomists (those who draw blood)
• Hazardous Material Removal Workers
• Highway Maintenance Workers
• Embalmers
• Tire Repair Technicians
• Packaging Machine Operators
• Dental Prosthodontists

The key trend? Physical presence and dexterity. AI might write your emails or tidy up your reports, but it can’t fix a broken boiler, repaint your office, or change a car tyre. At least not yet.

This reinforces something important: AI is not universal in its impact. It’s highly skilled in digital, structured, repeatable tasks. It’s nowhere near as useful in the messy, complex, and tactile world many people work in daily.

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What This Means for Local Businesses (and Their Teams)

If you run a business in East Yorkshire, Hull, York or anywhere beyond, these findings aren’t just interesting, they’re essential reading. Here’s why.

1. It’s Time to Audit the Tasks in Your Business

Rather than worrying about job titles, focus on tasks. Are people spending hours on admin, customer queries, reports, scheduling, or writing emails?

These are prime candidates for AI assistance.

At System Plus, we’re already helping businesses use Microsoft 365 Copilot and other tools to handle the repetitive stuff, giving their team more time for the important work only humans can do.

🔍 Tip: Make a list of weekly tasks across your team. Then ask, “Could AI help speed up or improve this?”

2. Upskilling Is the New Job Security

The safest workers in this AI-driven world aren’t necessarily the ones in the safest roles, they’re the ones who adapt quickest.

Learning to use AI tools well, like Copilot, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Designer, gives your team a real competitive edge.

According to the study, people who use AI effectively don’t just keep their jobs. They do more, faster, and are often more satisfied with their work. It’s like going from hammering nails by hand to using a nail gun.

📚 Tip: Invest in short, practical training. If you’re not sure where to start, System Plus can help you build an AI toolkit tailored to your team.

3. Don’t Adopt AI Blindly, Have a Strategy

One of the best quotes to come out of the wider Microsoft report was this:

“Don’t ask if you should adopt AI. Ask why.”

Implementing AI without a purpose is a waste of time and money. But if you can define your goals—like speeding up sales responses, improving customer service, or reducing repetitive tasks, then AI becomes a powerful business partner.

At System Plus, we’ve helped businesses save hours every week simply by integrating the right tools into their Microsoft 365 setup.

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Real Talk: Is This About Job Cuts?

Let’s be honest, yes, job losses have happened. Microsoft themselves laid off nearly 15,000 staff in 2024, with more expected in 2025 as they reshape their business around AI.

But the broader story is about reallocation, not elimination. AI will shift the work landscape, but it’s also expected to create new jobs, in AI training, oversight, ethics, and integration.

We’re already seeing this. Roles like “Prompt Engineer”, “AI Product Manager”, and “AI Compliance Officer” didn’t exist five years ago. Now, they’re popping up across industries.

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Final Thoughts: Human First, AI Assisted

Microsoft’s study sheds light on AI’s real-world implications across occupations. While certain knowledge-driven roles face higher exposure, others grounded in human dexterity and presence remain safer, for now. The key isn’t a resistance to change, but proactive adaptation. AI is a co-worker, not a usurper; and those who harness it intelligently stand to thrive.

At System Plus, we’ve always believed technology should work for people, not replace them. The Microsoft study backs this up. It’s not about man vs. machine, it’s about man with machine.

Whether you’re a local garage, law firm, council, café, or construction business, AI can support you—not threaten you, if you take the time to understand it.

We’re here to help you do just that.

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Want to talk about how AI could help your team?

Call us on 01759 305670
Or drop us a message via our Contact Form

We’re based in Pocklington and support businesses across East Yorkshire and beyond. Let’s make technology work with you, not against you.

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Data Source

• IT Pro
• The Times of India
• TechRadar