Will AI replace Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary?

Some of your tasks will be automated. People who use AI will have the edge.

Task exposure to today's AI

49/100

Moderate exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 49% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. The parts that stay human include: Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.; Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.; Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students and the community on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious thought..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable

Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. 78%

Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.AI already used 65%

Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students and the community on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious thought.AI already used 60%

Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.AI already used 57%

Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.AI already used 57%

Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions. 15%

+ 16 more tasks (45% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students and the community on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious thought.

AI tools to try

ChatGPT / Claude for lesson materialsAI quiz and feedback toolsPresentation and image generators

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

Materials and preparation

Lesson plans, tasks and differentiated materials with AI.
Quizzes and answer keys.
Check facts and age-appropriateness yourself.

Project

Use AI to draft a 3-week unit on ethical theory with syllabus, quizzes, and answer keys; fact-check and time the hours saved vs. manual prep.

Phase 2

Feedback and assessment

Rubrics and feedback drafts with AI.
Spotting common mistakes across student work.
Rules for student AI use and academic honesty.

Project

Have AI draft a rubric and feedback comments for 20 ungraded ethics papers, then revise and compare grading time against your usual pace.

Phase 3

Teaching with AI

Teach students to use AI critically.
Assignments that work with AI, not against it.
Share materials and practice with colleagues.

Project

Design one assignment requiring students to critique an AI-generated argument on a philosophical question, then pilot it and share results with a colleague.

Take the free 11-question test