Will english professors be replaced by AI?
Updated
English professors score 53 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 59%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 12% outright, and 29% stays with people.
- 12% AI can do it
- 59% AI helps
- 29% Needs a person
High exposure
Higher than 81% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 33 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 3 of them today, speeds up 20 and leaves 10 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. LLMs draft syllabi, assignments and handouts; instructor reviews. | 70% AI can do it |
| Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. Attendance and grade records are routine digital data entry. | 70% AI can do it |
| Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments. AI compiles reading lists fast; citations need accuracy checks. | 65% AI helps |
| Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers. AI drafts feedback and rubric scores; instructor verifies and finalizes. | 60% AI helps |
| Schedule courses. Scheduling software and optimizers handle most timetabling logic. | 60% AI can do it |
| Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. AI drafts exam questions and grades objective items; instructor reviews. | 55% AI helps |
| Write grant proposals to procure external research funding. AI drafts proposal narratives and budgets; funding strategy stays human. | 55% AI helps |
| Write letters of recommendation for students. AI drafts letters from notes; personal endorsement must be authentic. | 50% AI helps |
| Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks. AI helps compare options; ordering and vendor contact stay manual. | 50% AI helps |
| Provide assistance to students in college writing centers. AI feedback tools assist writers; tutoring conversations remain human. | 45% AI helps |
Show the other 23 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Write original literary pieces. AI can draft creative text; original literary voice is the author's. | 45% AI helps |
| Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction. AI can propose curriculum changes; faculty decide and approve. | 40% AI helps |
| Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as poetry, novel structure, and translation and adaptation. AI helps build lecture content; delivering it is live work. | 40% AI helps |
| Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media. AI speeds literature search and drafting; original analysis stays human. | 40% AI helps |
| Teach classes using online technology. AI helps build online modules; teaching remains instructor led. | 40% AI helps |
| Teach writing or communication classes. Live instruction stays human; AI assists lesson and feedback prep. | 35% AI helps |
| Review manuscripts for publication in professional journals. AI can check manuscripts for errors; expert peer judgment stays human. | 35% AI helps |
| Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class. Chatbots answer routine questions; struggling students need personal help. | 30% AI helps |
| Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. AI summarizes papers; reading, judgment and networking stay human. | 30% AI helps |
| Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head. AI can draft routine admin paperwork; leadership remains human. | 30% AI helps |
| Provide professional consulting services to government or industry. AI drafts reports; client expertise and accountability stay human. | 30% AI helps |
| Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues. AI can explain requirements; career advice needs personal judgment. | 25% AI helps |
| Conduct staff performance evaluations. AI can draft evaluation text; performance judgments stay with managers. | 25% AI helps |
| Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work. Supervising students needs personal mentorship and accountability. | 20% Needs a person |
| Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. In-person office hours need human presence and rapport. | 15% Needs a person |
| Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues. Collegial collaboration relies on human relationships and shared context. | 15% Needs a person |
| Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues. Committee deliberation and policy votes need human participation and accountability. | 15% Needs a person |
| Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities. Recruiting and placement involve in person contact and personal judgment. | 15% Needs a person |
| Recruit, train, and supervise department personnel, such as faculty and student writing instructors. Hiring and training staff depends on human judgment and interpersonal skills. | 15% Needs a person |
| Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions. Live discussion facilitation needs real time human presence. | 10% Needs a person |
| Act as advisers to student organizations. Advising student organizations means in person meetings and relationships. | 10% Needs a person |
| Participate in campus and community events. Attending campus and community events is in person presence work. | 3% Needs a person |
| Participate in cultural and literary activities, such as traveling abroad and attending performing arts events. Travel and performing arts attendance require physical presence. | 3% Needs a person |
How English professors compare
All occupations (923)
Educational instruction and library (62)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $78,760 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 57,720 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- 0.0% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Verify AI-compiled bibliographies against library catalogs and primary texts
- Lead live seminar discussions in person
- Grade and finalize AI-drafted feedback in the LMS
- Hold in-person office hours for student advising
- Draft and revise scholarly manuscripts in Microsoft Word
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about English professors and AI
Will AI replace english professors?
Partly. About 4 in 10 of an English professor's working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly preparing course materials and maintaining attendance and grade records. Live teaching, discussion, and advising stay with people because they depend on physical presence and rapport.
Which tasks is AI taking over for English professors?
Preparing syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts has an exposure score of 70, and maintaining attendance and grade records also scores 70. AI drafts these materials, and records are routine digital entry, so the work shifts to reviewing drafts. Scheduling courses, at exposure 60, is handled by timetabling optimizers.
Which tasks stay human for English professors?
Leading live classroom discussions, at exposure 10, and holding in-person office hours, at exposure 15, stay with English professors. Both need real time presence and rapport that only a person in the room can give. Collaborating with colleagues, also at 15, relies on shared context built over years.
How can English professors stay valuable as AI changes their work?
Verify every AI-compiled bibliography against library catalogs and the primary texts, since citation accuracy is the augmented step. Use the learning management system to check AI-drafted rubric scores before grades post. Spend the time saved on seminars, advising, and office hours, which need a person present. Publish scholarship in Word manuscripts.
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Next steps for English professors
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