Athletic Trainers

Athletic Trainers score 28 out of 100, which is moderate exposure to AI. That ranks #550 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 23 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 3 on its own and 8 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 6 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

28/ 100

Moderate

Rank: #550of 923 jobs
US workers: 30,500BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $62,520a year
In real AI use: 6 of 23tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 3 (13%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 8 (35%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 12 (52%)

Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
File athlete insurance claims and communicate with insurance providers.AI can speed this up on its own · supplemental task
Teach sports medicine courses to athletic training students.AI can speed this up on its own · supplemental task
Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Collaborate with physicians to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation programs for athletic injuries.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Plan or implement comprehensive athletic injury or illness prevention programs.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Inspect playing fields to locate any items that could injure players.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Develop training programs or routines designed to improve athletic performance.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Conduct research or provide instruction on subject matter related to athletic training or sports medicine.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Recommend special diets to improve athletes' health, increase their stamina, or alter their weight.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Evaluate athletes' readiness to play and provide participation clearances when necessary and warranted.Little or no AI speed-up · core task · Seen in real AI use
Clean and sanitize athletic training rooms.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Instruct coaches, athletes, parents, medical personnel, or community members in the care and prevention of athletic injuries.Little or no AI speed-up · core task · Seen in real AI use
Apply protective or injury preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, or braces, to body parts, such as ankles, fingers, or wrists.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Travel with athletic teams to be available at sporting events.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Advise athletes on the proper use of equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task · Seen in real AI use
Confer with coaches to select protective equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Massage body parts to relieve soreness, strains, or bruises.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Accompany injured athletes to hospitals.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Lead stretching exercises for team members prior to games or practices.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Perform team support duties, such as running errands, maintaining equipment, or stocking supplies.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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Questions about athletic trainers and AI

Will AI replace athletic trainers?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Athletic Trainers score 28 out of 100 (moderate exposure), #550 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 11 of the job's 23 tasks, 3 of them on its own, while 12 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which athletic trainers tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports"; "File athlete insurance claims and communicate with insurance providers"; "Teach sports medicine courses to athletic training students".

Which athletic trainers tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication"; "Evaluate athletes' readiness to play and provide participation clearances when necessary and warranted"; "Clean and sanitize athletic training rooms".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 6 of the 23 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as athletic trainers, and what do they earn?

About 30,500 people in the US, with median pay of $62,520 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.