# Will detectives be replaced by AI? Updated October 2026 Detectives score 35 of 100 for AI exposure. 53% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 14% today and speed up another 33%. - **14%** AI can do it - **33%** AI helps - **53%** Needs a person Moderate exposure Lower than 54% of the 923 occupations we scored. ## Task by task We graded 30 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 4 of them today, speeds up 10 and leaves 16 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects. Database and records searches are highly automatable with AI tools. | 70% AI can do it | | Analyze completed police reports to determine what additional information and investigative work is needed. Reviewing report text for gaps is strong LLM document work. | 68% AI can do it | | Examine records to locate links in chains of evidence or information. Cross record link finding suits AI analysis, with human review. | 66% AI can do it | | Prepare reports that detail investigation findings. Report drafting from notes is strong LLM work with review. | 65% AI can do it | | Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants. AI can draft progress logs and reports; supervisor reviews. | 55% AI helps | ## How detectives compare All occupations (923) Protective service (26) **Detectives score 35**, marked by the dark line. Each dot is a score, darker where more occupations share it. The short marks show the averages, 37 for all occupations and 31 for protective service. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $93,790 a year, May 2025 People employed 114,430 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs +0.2% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Run SQL queries against criminal records databases - Build evidence link charts in Microsoft Visio - Verify AI-drafted investigation reports against source files - Draft warrant affidavits and charging documents in Microsoft Word - Testify in court on evidence chains and findings - Secure scenes and handle physical evidence on site ## Safer roles nearby 5 related occupations with lower scores. - [Police officers31 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/police-officers/) - [Crime scene investigators32 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/crime-scene-investigators/) - [Forensic science technicians31 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/forensic-science-technicians/) - [Transit police officers29 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/transit-police-officers/) - [Bailiffs20 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/bailiffs/) ## Questions about detectives and AI Will AI replace detectives? Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours for a detective go to tasks AI can already do, mostly searching records for identifying data on suspects and analyzing police reports for gaps. Work at the scene, arrests, and witness handling stays with people because it needs a person physically present. Which detective tasks is AI taking over? Records work and report writing are the main losses. Examining government agency files for identifying data about suspects scores 70 on exposure, and preparing reports on investigation findings scores 65. AI can run the database pass and draft the write-up from notes, and the detective checks the output before it goes further. Which detective tasks stay human? Scene work stays with people. Checking victims for breathing and pulse scores 3 on exposure, and roping off a perimeter scores 3 as well. Holding witnesses in place scores 4. These tasks need a person on site, handling bodies and evidence and making calls in real time. How can detectives stay valuable as AI takes over records work? Shift time toward scene work, witness interviews, and court testimony, where exposure stays near 3 to 5. Learn SQL so you can audit the database output AI returns. Build link charts in Visio and check every AI-drafted report in Word against the original case file. Keep sign-off on warrant affidavits, since a person carries the legal responsibility. ## Related jobs - [Police supervisors36 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/police-supervisors/) - [Fraud analysts53 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/fraud-analysts/) - [Probation officers44 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/probation-officers/) - [Correctional supervisors31 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/correctional-supervisors/) ## Next steps for detectives - ### Check your job Your job title is a rough guide. Your actual tasks decide your score. Paste your job description or CV and see which of your tasks AI can do. [Check your job](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-exposure-checker/) [Check your CV](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/cv-checker/) ### Check which roles in your team AI can take on We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) ## Related topics - [**Jobs AI can't replace**Cement masons score lowest, at 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-cant-replace/) - [**Jobs most at risk from AI**Proofreaders score highest, at 76.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-most-exposed-to-ai/) - [**High-paying jobs with low AI exposure**Radiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/high-paying-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Entry-level jobs with low AI exposure**Cement masons need little prior training and score 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/entry-level-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Jobs AI speeds up the most**For natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-speeds-up/) - [**AI and jobs in Malta**15 iGaming roles graded task by task.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/malta/) - [**Skills that keep work human**The skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/skills/) - [**Jobs A to Z**Every job we publish, by first letter.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs/) - [**AI exposure by industry**Average scores for 22 occupation groups.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industries/) - [**Write a CV screening software can read**How applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/cv-screening-guide/) - [**AI for businesses**The tasks to automate first in each team and industry.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/) - [**How we score AI exposure**The grading, the weights and every source.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/) Occupation data from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and modified by Aigentcy. O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Wage, employment and projection data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. EU occupation names from ESCO, European Commission. AI usage signals from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY) and Microsoft Research (CC BY 4.0). [Methodology and sources](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). Scores © Aigentcy. Quote them with a link to the page.