How exposed this work is to automation, shown as ranges with the reasoning and sources.
The short version: this role is moderately exposed to automation, and a near-term shift looks unlikely.
It is a sourced range, not a verdict, and the detail is below.
Built on O*NET tasks, BLS pay and projections, and peer-reviewed AI-exposure research. Sources shown.
Data snapshot SNAPSHOT-2026-11-06. How it works
AI / softwarerange 0.0 to 22.3
Physical / roboticsrange 30.1 to 54.1
When the change is likely
Largely unaffectedlocal demand growing
What to do about it
Use AI to outpace AI.
Strategies to protect your livelihood, most important first.
1
Stay sharp; urgency is low
This role looks durable. Keep your skills current and watch for shifts in your field.
2
Pivot toward Psychiatric Technicians
It is skill-adjacent and less exposed (34.0 vs 42). A lateral move now beats a forced one later.
3
Build a financial buffer
Keep 6 to 12 months of expenses and diversify your income, so a disruption is a setback rather than a catastrophe.
4
Add a recognised credential
A certification or license raises the bar against automation and signals value in a tightening market.
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Which of my tasks are exposed
Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.
100.0
Document patient information, such as notes on their progress.
50.0
Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes.
50.0
Instruct patients in proper body mechanics and in ways to improve functional mobility, such as aquatic exercise.
100.0
Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
42.1
Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
100.0
Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, or heat, light, sound, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
42.1
Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements.
42.1
Longer, orange bars are more automatable; short green bars are resistant.
What is driving my result
lowers risk
raises risk
Task: Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.
Task: Instruct patients in proper body mechanics and in ways to improve functional mobility, such as aquatic exercise.
Local demand is growing
Lower-risk adjacent roles
Psychiatric Technicians
34.0
Occupational Therapy Aides
36.2
Recreational Therapists
36.4
A full, ranked mitigation plan is part of the paid tiers.
How this score is calculated
Map Physical Therapist Assistants to its standard O*NET task list (8 core tasks).
Score each task for AI/software exposure (Eloundou et al. 2023) and physical/robotics exposure (an O*NET work-context proxy), each 0 to 100.
The two axis scores are the task averages: AI 10.3, robotics 42.1.
The timeline comes from the higher axis (42.1), shifted for local demand (growing), and seniority. It is read against your remaining working years.
Ranges are about ±12 points. A backtest against real BLS employment change shows the risk ranking holds in aggregate, but individual outcomes are predicted weakly, so results are ranges, never a flat verdict.
Sources: O*NET, Eloundou et al. (2023), GPTs are GPTs, O*NET Work Context, BLS CPI-U, BLS OEWS.
Snapshot SNAPSHOT-2026-11-06. Full method and backtest on How it works.