Will ob-gyns be replaced by AI?
Updated
OB-GYNs score 43 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 58%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 13% outright, and 29% stays with people.
- 13% AI can do it
- 58% AI helps
- 29% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Higher than 58% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 15 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 2 of them today, speeds up 9 and leaves 4 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical histories, reports, or examination results. Ambient scribes and EHR tools can capture and structure patient records. | 80% AI can do it |
| Prepare government and organizational reports on birth, death, and disease statistics, workforce evaluations, or the medical status of individuals. Summarizing birth, death, and health statistics into reports is largely automatable. | 70% AI can do it |
| Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient. AI can summarize records and flag findings; physician makes diagnosis. | 50% AI helps |
| Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention. AI can draft education handouts; tailored counseling stays with the doctor. | 50% AI helps |
| Plan, implement, or administer health programs in hospitals, businesses, or communities for prevention and treatment of injuries or illnesses. AI can help plan programs and draft materials; community work stays human. | 45% AI helps |
| Conduct research to develop or test medications, treatments, or procedures to prevent or control disease or injury. AI speeds literature review and data analysis; trials need human oversight. | 45% AI helps |
| Consult with or provide consulting services to other physicians. AI can draft consult notes and summarize cases for colleagues. | 40% AI helps |
| Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioner when necessary. AI can draft referral letters; choosing the specialist stays with the doctor. | 40% AI helps |
| Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients. AI can draft patient materials; live discussion stays with the doctor. | 35% AI helps |
| Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary. AI can track remote data and trends; reassessment needs clinical judgment. | 35% AI helps |
Show the other 5 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Prescribe or administer therapy, medication, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury. Decision support helps choose drugs; administering stays clinical. | 30% AI helps |
| Treat diseases of female organs. Treating female organ disease relies mostly on hands-on procedures and exams. | 20% Needs a person |
| Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff. Leading and supervising clinical staff is interpersonal and accountable work. | 15% Needs a person |
| Care for and treat women during prenatal, natal, and postnatal periods. Prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care is hands-on and in person. | 12% Needs a person |
| Perform cesarean sections or other surgical procedures as needed to preserve patients' health and deliver babies safely. Cesarean and surgical delivery require physical surgical skill. | 3% Needs a person |
How OB-GYNs compare
All occupations (923)
Healthcare practitioners and technical (89)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $292,910 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 21,260 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +1.7% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Perform cesarean sections and operative deliveries in person
- Check AI-drafted charts in Epic Systems before signing
- Code diagnoses and procedures in medical procedure coding software
- Hold ABOG board certification in obstetrics and gynecology
- Lead delivery teams of nurses and residents
- Verify birth statistics reports in Microsoft Excel against source records
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about OB-GYNs and AI
Will AI replace ob-gyns?
Partly. About 4 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly collecting patient records and preparing government reports on birth and disease statistics. Surgery, delivery, and in-person care of women stay with physicians because they need a trained person in the room.
Which tasks is AI taking over for OB-GYNs?
Recordkeeping and reporting carry the highest exposure. Collecting and maintaining patient information scores an exposure of 80, since ambient scribes and EHR tools can capture and structure records. Preparing birth, death, and disease statistics reports scores 70, because summarizing those numbers is largely automatable.
Which tasks stay human for OB-GYNs?
Surgery and hands-on care stay with physicians. Performing cesarean sections scores an exposure of 3, and prenatal, natal, and postnatal care scores 12, because both depend on a physical exam, surgical skill, and a clinician present with the patient.
How can OB-GYNs stay valuable as AI spreads?
Take on the surgical and delivery caseload that needs your hands. Check AI-drafted notes in Epic Systems before you sign them. Use medical procedure coding software to get billing codes right. Lead the nurses and residents on your delivery team.
Related jobs
Next steps for OB-GYNs
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