Will physical therapist assistants be replaced by AI?
Updated
Physical therapist assistants score 19 of 100 for AI exposure. 63% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 10% today and speed up another 27%.
- 10% AI can do it
- 27% AI helps
- 63% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 82% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 21 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 2 of them today, speeds up 5 and leaves 14 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Document patient information, such as notes on their progress. Progress notes are drafted well from structured treatment data. | 78% AI can do it |
| Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms. Inventory, ordering, forms and messages are largely digital tasks. | 70% AI can do it |
| Monitor operation of equipment and record use of equipment and administration of treatment. Equipment logs and treatment records are automatable; monitoring is not. | 40% AI helps |
| Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment. Team discussions benefit from AI summaries of patient records. | 35% AI helps |
| Communicate with or instruct caregivers or family members on patient therapeutic activities or treatment plans. Caregiver teaching is live, though AI can draft handouts. | 30% AI helps |
| Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes. Observation is in person; AI only helps compile recorded data. | 25% AI helps |
| Instruct patients in proper body mechanics and in ways to improve functional mobility, such as aquatic exercise. Teaching body mechanics relies on live demonstration and correction. | 15% AI helps |
| Attend or conduct continuing education courses, seminars, or in-service activities. Attending courses is in person; AI can summarize materials. | 15% Needs a person |
| Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities. Physical guarding and live coaching during exercises needs presence. | 10% Needs a person |
| Measure patients' range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations. Measuring joint range is hand work; recording can be automated. | 10% Needs a person |
Show the other 11 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Train patients in the use of orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices. Fitting and training device use requires hands on instruction. | 8% Needs a person |
| Prepare treatment areas and electrotherapy equipment for use by physiotherapists. Setting up electrotherapy equipment and room needs physical handling. | 8% Needs a person |
| Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, or heat, light, sound, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound. Manual therapy and modalities require skilled hands on the patient. | 5% Needs a person |
| Clean work area and check and store equipment after treatment. Cleaning and storing equipment is physical work. | 5% Needs a person |
| Perform therapeutic wound care. Wound care requires hands on assessment and physical treatment. | 5% Needs a person |
| Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, such as crutches. Fitting crutches and braces relies on physical measurement and adjustment. | 4% Needs a person |
| Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment. Applying traction requires physical setup and close patient monitoring. | 4% Needs a person |
| Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment. Physically securing patients onto equipment needs a person present. | 3% Needs a person |
| Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements. Lifting and transferring patients is physical and safety critical. | 3% 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 supports is direct physical help. | 3% Needs a person |
| Perform postural drainage, percussions, or vibrations or teach deep breathing exercises to treat respiratory conditions. Percussion and postural drainage are manual techniques done in person. | 3% Needs a person |
How physical therapist assistants compare
All occupations (923)
Healthcare support (19)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $68,380 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 112,430 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +23.0% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Hold a current state physical therapist assistant licence
- Review AI-drafted progress notes in eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Transfer and position patients safely onto therapy equipment
- Fit patients for braces, crutches and supportive devices
- Teach caregivers home exercise programs and treatment plans
- Present observation findings to supervising physical therapists
Safer roles nearby
A related occupation with a lower score.
Questions about physical therapist assistants and AI
Will AI replace physical therapist assistants?
Partly. About 2 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly drafting progress notes and handling clerical work. Hands-on treatment, patient safety and in-person observation stay with people because they need a physical presence in the room.
Which tasks will AI take from physical therapist assistants?
Progress note drafting and clerical work lead the list. Documenting patient information scores 78 on exposure, so AI can draft notes from structured treatment data. Clerical duties score 70, covering inventory, supply orders, forms and messages, which are largely digital.
Which tasks stay with physical therapist assistants?
Hands-on treatment stays with people. Securing patients onto equipment, transferring them, fitting braces and applying postural drainage each score 3 or 4 on exposure. Each needs a person physically present to measure, lift and adjust the patient safely.
How can physical therapist assistants stay valuable at work?
Review every AI-drafted progress note against what you observed in the session. Lead caregiver teaching for home exercise programs, since that stays live. Bring patient observations into team discussions with supervising physical therapists. Keep your state licence current.
Related jobs
Next steps for physical therapist assistants
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.
Related topics
- Jobs AI can't replaceCement masons score lowest, at 8.
- Jobs most at risk from AIProofreaders score highest, at 76.
- High-paying jobs with low AI exposureRadiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.
- Entry-level jobs with low AI exposureCement masons need little prior training and score 8.
- Jobs AI speeds up the mostFor natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.
- AI and jobs in Malta15 iGaming roles graded task by task.
- Skills that keep work humanThe skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.
- Jobs A to ZEvery job we publish, by first letter.
- AI exposure by industryAverage scores for 22 occupation groups.
- Write a CV screening software can readHow applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.
- AI for businessesThe tasks to automate first in each team and industry.
- How we score AI exposureThe grading, the weights and every source.