Will physical therapist aides be replaced by AI?
Updated
Physical therapist aides score 19 of 100 for AI exposure. 71% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 16% today and speed up another 13%.
- 16% AI can do it
- 13% AI helps
- 71% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 82% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 19 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 3 of them today, speeds up 2 and leaves 14 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms. Inventory, ordering, messages and forms are routine digital clerical work. | 70% AI can do it |
| Record treatment given and equipment used. Treatment and equipment logs can be drafted from structured inputs. | 68% AI can do it |
| Schedule patient appointments with physical therapists and coordinate therapists' schedules. Scheduling software and AI tools can handle most appointment booking. | 65% AI can do it |
| Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment. Meetings are human, but AI can summarize patient notes beforehand. | 35% AI helps |
| Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist. Observation is in person, but progress write ups can be AI assisted. | 25% AI helps |
| Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations. Goniometer and vital sign measurement needs the aide physically present. | 15% Needs a person |
| Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff. Live physical coaching and safeguarding of patients during exercise. | 12% Needs a person |
| Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment. Physical cleaning and disinfecting of equipment needs hands on work. | 10% Needs a person |
| Train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices. Hands on instruction in using braces and prosthetic devices. | 10% Needs a person |
| Arrange treatment supplies to keep them in order. Physically arranging and stocking treatment supplies in the room. | 8% Needs a person |
Show the other 9 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories. Physical assembly and repair of equipment; AI only aids manual lookup. | 8% Needs a person |
| Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment. Setting up and applying traction equipment to a patient's body. | 5% Needs a person |
| Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment. Physically positioning patients onto equipment requires in person handling. | 4% Needs a person |
| Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound. Hands on manual therapy, massage and modality application. | 4% Needs a person |
| Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings. Dressing patients and fitting braces or slings is hands on care. | 4% Needs a person |
| Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, adjusting fit as needed. Fitting and adjusting braces on the body requires physical skill. | 4% Needs a person |
| Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases. Changing linens is a physical bedside task. | 3% Needs a person |
| Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support. Moving patients by wheelchair or standing support is physical. | 3% Needs a person |
| Participate in patient care tasks, such as assisting with passing food trays, feeding residents, or bathing residents on bed rest. Feeding, bathing and tray passing are direct personal care. | 3% Needs a person |
How physical therapist aides compare
All occupations (923)
Healthcare support (19)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $35,240 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 48,150 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +4.0% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Measure joint range of motion with a goniometer
- Draft treatment logs in Epic Systems or MEDITECH
- Perform gait belt transfers and standing support safely
- Fit braces, splints, and slings under therapist supervision
- Hold a current BLS certification from the American Heart Association
- Coordinate therapist calendars in scheduling software
Safer roles nearby
2 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about physical therapist aides and AI
Will AI replace physical therapist aides?
Partly. About 2 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly clerical duties like ordering supplies and filling out forms, plus recording treatment and equipment use. Hands-on work stays with people, including moving patients, fitting braces, and measuring joint range of motion.
Which physical therapist aide tasks is AI taking over?
Clerical duties rank highest with an exposure score of 70, covering inventory, ordering supplies, phone messages, and forms. Recording treatment given and equipment used scores 68, since logs can be drafted from structured inputs. Scheduling appointments and coordinating therapist calendars scores 65, and scheduling software already handles most booking.
Which physical therapist aide tasks stay human?
Moving patients by wheelchair or providing standing support scores 3 on exposure, the lowest on the list, because it is physical work done at the bedside. Securing patients onto therapy equipment, manual therapy and massage, and helping patients dress or fit slings all score 4. Measuring range of joint motion scores 15 and still needs the aide physically present with a goniometer.
How can physical therapist aides stay valuable?
Lean into the 71 percent of task weight that stays human, such as patient transfers and modality application. Learn to use Epic Systems or MEDITECH software to draft treatment logs that a therapist reviews. Measure joint range with a goniometer and record the readings yourself, since that step needs you present. Keep a current BLS certification and train in safe transfer technique.
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