As of June 2026, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers has an AI-exposure score of 67/100 (High exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.

AI Exposure Score for

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

67/100
High exposure
LowModerateElevatedHighVery High

More exposed than 86% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$232,140. About 11,700 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).

Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.

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How this role compares to similar Transportation roles

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (this role)
67
First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand
67
Recycling Coordinators
66
First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
68
Traffic Technicians
66
Airfield Operations Specialists
66
See all roles by exposure →
Data sources, not endorsements: O*NET task data, BLS employment/pay/demand, and Anthropic Economic Index signals.Methodology Data sources
Role snapshot

What this role usually involves

O*NET 29.1 exact occupation

Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, national, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots.

Common titles
Airline CaptainCaptainFirst OfficerPilotAirbus CaptainAirline Pilot
Typical preparation
Considerable Preparation Needed: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be...
Skills and knowledge
Operation and ControlCritical ThinkingMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingReading ComprehensionTime Management
Tools and technology
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft Word
Work context
Face-to-face discussionsFrequent contact with othersConsequence of errorDecision latitudeEmail use

Source: O*NET 29.1 exact occupation - Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, SOC 53-2011.00. Context describes the role; the AI-exposure score remains a separate task-exposure estimate.

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Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers tasks, by AI exposure

Automatable
  • Record in log books information, such as flight times, distances flown, and fuel consumption.
  • Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
  • Direct activities of aircraft crews during flights.
17 more automatable tasks locked in the report.
Augmentable

No augmentable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as automatable (100%).

Durable

No durable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as automatable (100%).

We analyzed all 20 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers tasks — 20 automatable. The full task map — every task with exactly what to do about each — is in your Career Report.

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Full task map

Every task scored with what to automate, augment, or protect.

Safer role shortlist

5-10 adjacent roles with salary, demand, and reachability.

30/60/90 plan + PDF

A keepable roadmap plus resume and LinkedIn repositioning.

Grounded in O*NET + the Anthropic Economic Index + BLS — not generic ChatGPT advice.

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Safer adjacent roles

Commercial Pilots
80% skills overlap · High exposure · ~US$123,220
64
7 more safer roles with salary, demand & a reachability map — in your Career Report.
AI-augmentation kit (prompt preview) You are my AI copilot for "Record in log books information, such as flight times, distances flown, and fuel consumption.". I'll paste the inputs; draft the first version and flag exactly what needs my judgment, then iterate until…
The full, copy-paste-ready prompt — one per exposed task — is in your Career Report.

Your AI-Safe Career Report

Every task scored with what to do about it · 5–10 safer roles with salary, demand & reachability · skill-gap map · a 30/60/90-day roadmap · plus a résumé & LinkedIn rewrite · PDF.
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AI was the most-cited reason for U.S. layoffs through mid-2026 — the workers who adapt earliest fare best. — Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 2026The upside: Workers with AI skills earn a roughly 62% wage premium — adapting pays. — PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer, 2026

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Important: This is an estimate of AI exposure, not a prediction that your job will disappear. It is designed to help you understand how your role may change and improve your career resilience.

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