AI for software and IT companies: which tasks to automate first
Updated
Across the 3.6 million US jobs in software and IT services, the work scores 58 of 100 for AI exposure, weighted by how many people do each job. AI can take on about 918 hours a year per full-time person, 46% of a working year. The task that frees the most hours across the industry is to prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, about 114 hours a year for each person who does it.
- AI exposure, weighted by employment
- 58 out of 100 High exposure
- Hours AI can take on
- 918 hours a year per full-time person
- Task time AI can do today
- 18% AI speeds up another 72%
Tasks to automate first
The 15 tasks where AI can take on the most hours across software and IT services: how exposed each task is, how much of the job it takes and how many people do that job. Hours are per person in the role that does the task. How we score each task.
| Task and who does it | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, activities, or status. Status reports and specification write-ups are routine writing AI handles well. Done by software developers. | 78% AI can do it 114 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation. AI drafts test cases, validation scripts and docs; engineer directs and approves. Done by software developers. | 65% AI helps 101 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements. Querying, transforming and retrieving data is routine digital work AI scripts handle. Done by software developers, software testers, computer hardware engineers. | 68% AI can do it 97 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt it to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance. Coding assistants draft most fixes; developer still verifies hardware and integration. Done by software developers. | 65% AI helps 97 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system. AI can analyze requirements and draft installation plans; humans decide on changes. Done by software developers. | 50% AI helps 72 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and consequences of design. AI speeds coding and simulation; engineers still take responsibility for design and outcome predictions. Done by software developers. | 45% AI helps 64 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints. AI can draft feasibility estimates, but stakeholders and tradeoffs need human judgement. Done by software developers. | 35% AI helps 57 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Determine system performance standards. AI can suggest benchmarks and metrics, but choosing standards needs expert judgement. Done by software developers. | 40% AI helps 56 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Consult with customers or other departments on project status, proposals, or technical issues, such as software system design or maintenance. Customer status and proposal communication is mostly human; AI drafts supporting material. Done by software developers. | 30% AI helps 40 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces. Requirements meetings with people need live judgement; AI only drafts notes. Done by software developers. | 25% AI helps 37 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Confer with data processing or project managers to obtain information on limitations or capabilities for data processing projects. Gathering constraints from managers is interpersonal; AI helps summarize prior information. Done by software developers. | 28% AI helps 37 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Monitor functioning of equipment to ensure system operates in conformance with specifications. AI monitoring tools flag anomalies against specs; people investigate and respond. Done by software developers. | 45% AI helps 37 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Coordinate installation of software system. Deployment scripts are automatable, but coordinating rollout across teams stays human. Done by software developers. | 40% AI helps 30 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Maintain customer records using automated systems. CRM record keeping is routine data entry for automated systems. Done by sales representatives of services. | 82% AI can do it 109 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Maintain records of daily data communication transactions, problems and remedial actions taken, or installation activities. Logging transactions and remedial actions is largely templated and automatable. Done by IT support specialists. | 72% AI can do it 98 hours a year for each person in the role |
What stays with people
10% of the task time across these roles needs a person, and the output of the rest still needs someone to check it. The tasks below take the most of that time.
- 18% AI can do it
- 72% AI helps
- 10% Needs a person
- Supervise the work of programmers, technologists and technicians and other engineering and scientific personnel. Software developers, 15% exposed
- Supervise and assign work to programmers, designers, technologists, technicians, or other engineering or scientific personnel. Software developers, 14% exposed
- Set up equipment for employee use, performing or ensuring proper installation of cables, operating systems, or appropriate software. IT support specialists, 15% exposed
- Inspect equipment and read order sheets to prepare for delivery to users. IT support specialists, 15% exposed
- Distribute promotional materials at meetings, conferences, or trade shows. Sales representatives of services, 8% exposed
Adoption path
Start with the tasks where AI helps a person, then automate the routine ones, then give whole workflows to agents with a person approving the output.
Teams in this industry
The business functions in software and IT services, by share of the workforce, with each one's exposure.
Roles in software and IT services
The 20 largest roles, each linked to its task-by-task score. Shares come from the BLS industry staffing estimates, May 2025. Of the roles with at least 2% of the jobs, customer service representatives score highest at 74, general managers lowest at 44.
- Software developers, 21.7% of the workforce, score 59 out of 100
- IT support specialists, 6% of the workforce, score 59 out of 100
- Sales representatives of services, 5.5% of the workforce, score 66 out of 100
- IT managers, 5.5% of the workforce, score 50 out of 100
- Systems analysts, 4.4% of the workforce, score 59 out of 100
- General managers, 3.8% of the workforce, score 44 out of 100
- Project managers, 3% of the workforce, score 53 out of 100
- Customer service representatives, 2.7% of the workforce, score 74 out of 100
- Digital marketers, 2.4% of the workforce, score 62 out of 100
- Software testers, 2.3% of the workforce, score 64 out of 100
- Management consultants, 2% of the workforce, score 55 out of 100
- Systems administrators, 1.8% of the workforce, score 58 out of 100
- Sales managers, 1.8% of the workforce, score 45 out of 100
- Computer network architects, 1.6% of the workforce, score 55 out of 100
- Cybersecurity analysts, 1.6% of the workforce, score 60 out of 100
- Accountants, 1.5% of the workforce, score 60 out of 100
- Data scientists, 1.4% of the workforce, score 67 out of 100
- Marketing managers, 1.3% of the workforce, score 55 out of 100
- Recruiters, 1.3% of the workforce, score 62 out of 100
- Network engineers, 1.2% of the workforce, score 59 out of 100
Questions about AI for software and IT companies
Which tasks should a software company automate first?
The first task to automate is to prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications (78% exposed). Next come the tasks to develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures (65%) and to store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements (68%). Together they free the most hours across the industry.
How many hours can AI save a software company?
About 918 hours a year per full-time person, 46% of a 2,000-hour working year. For a team of 10 that is about 9,180 hours, the time of 4.6 full-time people. The figure is the share of task time AI can remove today, weighted by how many people do each job.
Which roles in a software company are most exposed to AI?
Of the roles with at least 2% of the jobs, customer service representatives score highest, at 74 of 100, and general managers lowest, at 44. Each role's page lists its tasks one by one.
Will AI replace jobs in software and IT services?
AI can do 18% of the task time across these roles today. Another 72% gets faster with AI while a person stays in charge. 10% needs a person. One task that stays with people is to supervise the work of programmers.
Where should a software company start with AI?
With the quick wins: approved assistants for the tasks AI helps with, under a written AI policy. Then automate the 4 tasks on this page AI can do end to end. An AI audit maps the tasks in your team and ranks them the same way this page does.
Next steps
Find the tasks to automate first in your team
We map the tasks in your business, score each one the way this page does and build the automations that pay back first.