Will AI replace Respiratory Therapists?

No exposure score can predict whether AI will replace this role. The 53/100 score means our current model estimates elevated task exposure from the sources listed on this page. It does not predict an employer decision, headcount, or an individual outcome. The task map below shows the work assessed and where human judgment remains important.

Early-career context (study ages 22-25)

This role's task mix is automation-heavy, but it sits in the Elevated exposure band rather than our highest-exposure bands. That is only a partial match to the study's cohort, so the headline figure is context rather than a direct forecast for this role.

The November 2025 revision reports a 16% relative employment decline for workers ages 22-25 in the most AI-exposed U.S. occupations, after firm-level controls, relative to workers in less-exposed fields and more experienced workers in the same occupations.

Use the task map to identify durable work and the skills worth building early.

Stanford Digital Economy Lab, Canaries in the Coal Mine - November 2025 revision

This is group-level U.S. payroll evidence, not a personal forecast. The authors do not claim that AI alone caused the change, and this context does not alter the exposure score.

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Role snapshot

What this role usually involves

O*NET 29.1 exact occupation

Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.

Common titles

Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)Respiratory Therapist (RT)Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory TherapistStaff Respiratory Therapist

O*NET job-zone preparation

Job Zone 3 · Medium Preparation Needed Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.

Broad guidance for this preparation level; exact requirements vary by role and employer.

Skills and knowledge

Critical ThinkingMonitoringSpeakingActive LearningReading ComprehensionService Orientation

Work context

Frequent contact with othersIndoor controlled settingConsequence of errorDecision latitudeRepeating tasks

Source: O*NET 29.1 exact occupation - Respiratory Therapists, SOC 29-1126.00. Context describes the role; the AI-exposure score remains a separate task-exposure estimate.

Respiratory Therapists tasks, by AI exposure

We analyzed all 20 Respiratory Therapists tasks - 16 automatable and 4 augmentable. The full task map - every task with exactly what to do about each - is in your Career Report.

Adjacent career paths

Relatedness shows how reachable a move may be. A path is labeled lower exposure only when its score is at least 6 points lower; every row shows the measured difference.

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