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AI exposure report

Will AI replace Telephone Operators?

Many of your tasks are within reach of AI. The role will change, so it pays to act now.

Task exposure to today's AI

69/100

High 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 Telephone Operators?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 69% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: 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. The parts that stay human include: Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.; 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.; Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail..

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
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. 80%
Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections. 78%
Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information. 70%
Operate paging systems or other systems of bells or buzzers to notify recipients of incoming calls. 70%
Update directory information. 70%
Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail.AI already used 60%

+ 8 more tasks (17% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

  • Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
  • 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.
  • Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail.

AI tools to try

Microsoft 365 Copilot or Google Gemini for WorkspaceChatGPT / Claude for emails and documentsAutomation tools (Power Automate, Zapier, Make)

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

Automate the routine

  • Emails, letters and documents from templates with AI.
  • Data entry and extraction from forms and PDFs.
  • Spreadsheet work with AI help.

Project

Use AI to turn your paper call logs and printed staff directory into one clean searchable spreadsheet, and time how much faster you find 20 extensions.

Phase 2

Workflows across tools

  • Connect email, forms and spreadsheets with no-code automations.
  • Checks and controls on automated steps.
  • Document how each workflow works.

Project

Build a no-code workflow that turns after-hours call-message forms into emails to the right department plus a logged spreadsheet row, with a daily check that no message was missed.

Phase 3

From doing to coordinating

  • Become the person who maintains the team's automations.
  • Train colleagues.
  • Look at roles in operations, coordination or process improvement.

Project

Document and hand over your call-routing and paging automations in a one-page guide, train two colleagues, and track errors and call-handling time for 2 weeks before and after.
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