Telephone Operators
Provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. Assist customers with special billing requests, such as charges to a third party and credits or refunds for incorrectly dialed numbers or bad connections. May handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls.
AI Impact Summary
Telephone Operators faces high AI displacement risk with a score of 51/100. This occupation has higher AI displacement risk than 97% of all analyzed occupations. Of 16 analyzed tasks, 8 are highly automatable, particularly routine cognitive tasks. Strong protective factors — including social intelligence, creativity, or regulatory barriers — significantly reduce effective risk.
Skill Impact Analysis
AI-Vulnerable Skills (6)
Reading Comprehension is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Information Ordering is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Programming is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
AI-Resistant Skills (11)
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Service Orientation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Complex Problem Solving is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Persuasion is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Negotiation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
AI-Augmented Skills (7)
Recommended Courses
Courses matched to Telephone Operators skill gaps, ranked by relevance to your displacement risk profile.
Get personalized recommendations. Answer a few questions about your experience and skills to get course suggestions tailored specifically to you.
Upskill to Reduce Risk
Courses addressing your most AI-vulnerable skills
SQL Fundamentals Skill Track
by DataCamp
Estimated Impact
AI-Augmentation Tools
Learn to work alongside AI and boost your productivity
Systems Thinking In Practice
by The Open University
Estimated Impact
Strengthen Your Edge
Double down on skills AI can't replicate
Inspired Leadership Through Emotional Intelligence
by Case Western Reserve University
Estimated Impact
We may earn a commission when you enroll through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps fund the Takeover Tracker.
Risk reduction and salary impact are estimates based on skill gap analysis, course relevance, and labor market data. Actual results vary by individual circumstance.
Education & Training
Percentage of workers at each education and training level
Education Level
Prior Experience Needed
Work experience required to enter this job
Training Provided After Hiring
How long it typically takes to learn on the job
How AI Impacts Each Task
16 tasks analyzed
Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections.
Operate telephone switchboards and systems to advance and complete connections, including those for local, long distance, pay telephone, mobile, person-to-person, and emergency calls.
Suggest and check alternate spellings, locations, or listing formats to customers lacking details or complete information.
Provide assistance for customers with special billing requests.
Calculate and quote charges for services such as long-distance connections.
Monitor automated systems for placing collect calls and intervene for a callers needing assistance.
Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail.
Consult charts to determine charges for pay-telephone calls, requesting coin deposits for calls as necessary.
Interrupt busy lines if an emergency warrants.
Provide relay service for hearing-impaired users.
Offer special assistance to persons such as those who are unable to dial or who are in emergency situations.
Promote company products, services, and savings plans when appropriate.
Operate paging systems or other systems of bells or buzzers to notify recipients of incoming calls.
Update directory information.
Keep records of calls placed and received, and of related toll charges.
| Task | AI Capability | Risk | Time % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information. | 95Estimated | 87.2% | 15% | |
| Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections. | 35Estimated | 47.0% | 10% | |
| Operate telephone switchboards and systems to advance and complete connections, including those for local, long distance, pay telephone, mobile, person-to-person, and emergency calls. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 15% | |
| Suggest and check alternate spellings, locations, or listing formats to customers lacking details or complete information. | 95Estimated | 87.2% | 10% | |
| Provide assistance for customers with special billing requests. | 90Estimated | 85.2% | 5% | |
| Calculate and quote charges for services such as long-distance connections. | 97Estimated | 88.0% | 5% | |
| Monitor automated systems for placing collect calls and intervene for a callers needing assistance. | 85Estimated | 83.2% | 5% | |
| Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail. | 46.2Observed | 67.7% | 5% | |
| Consult charts to determine charges for pay-telephone calls, requesting coin deposits for calls as necessary. | 97Estimated | 88.0% | 4% | |
| Interrupt busy lines if an emergency warrants. | 40Estimated | 43.0% | 2% | |
| Provide relay service for hearing-impaired users. | 97Estimated | 88.0% | 5% | |
| Offer special assistance to persons such as those who are unable to dial or who are in emergency situations. | 20Estimated | 23.0% | 5% | |
| Promote company products, services, and savings plans when appropriate. | 50Estimated | 35.0% | 4% | |
| Operate paging systems or other systems of bells or buzzers to notify recipients of incoming calls. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 4% | |
| Update directory information. | 46.88Observed | 68.0% | 3% | |
| Keep records of calls placed and received, and of related toll charges. | 100Estimated | 89.2% | 3% |
Protective Factors
Total protective discount: 26.2%
Essential Soft Skills
Traits that are hard for AI to replicate
Wage & Employment (2024)
Median Wage
$39,130
per year
Mean Wage
$42,880
per year
Employment
4K
workers
Wage Range
$31,440 - $57,510
10th - 90th pct
Wage Distribution
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Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
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License Clerks
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Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
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Higher risk than 98% of other occupations
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General and Operations Managers
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Marketing Managers
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Advertising and Promotions Managers
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Computer and Information Systems Managers
31%Higher risk than 45% of other occupations
Recommendations
Skills to Develop
These skills are at risk from AI automation. Telephone Operators professionals should diversify beyond them.
- Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Information Ordering
Information Ordering is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Mathematics
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Mathematics
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Memorization
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Skills to Leverage
These human-centric skills remain difficult for AI to replicate. Double down here.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Service Orientation
Service Orientation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Social Perceptiveness
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Leadership
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Complex Problem Solving
Complex Problem Solving is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Tools to Adopt
AI can amplify these skills. Learn the tools that augment rather than replace your work.
- Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Monitoring
Monitoring will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Judgment and Decision Making
Judgment and Decision Making will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Active Learning
Active Learning will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Writing
Writing will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
Score History
Risk score over 2 scoring runs
overall change