List of the careers that pay the best and protect you from AI job losses

The future-proof careers to consider

But there is another factor making those choices more difficult than ever and it's artificial intelligence. As AI becomes increasingly common in workplaces, it is already taking over certain tasks and changing how entire industries operate, leaving plenty of people wondering which careers will still be secure in the years ahead.

The concern is not limited to school leavers either. Even people who have spent years building careers are now having to consider how quickly their roles could change as the technology develops.

However, some professions are naturally less suited to being replaced by AI, particularly those where workers need to make important decisions, take responsibility, understand people or rely on skills that technology cannot easily reproduce.

With that in mind, these are some of the careers that could offer greater protection from AI, as well as the salaries you could potentially expect.

Teachers

AI might be able to explain a maths problem, help with homework or generate an essay, but there is a huge difference between providing information and actually teaching a classroom full of children.

Teachers have to build relationships with their pupils, understand individual needs, manage a classroom and know when a student needs encouragement or extra support. Those human interactions are difficult to replicate with technology.

New teachers outside London currently start on just under £33,000, rising to just over £34,000 from September. With experience, salaries can climb beyond £50,000, while those moving into leadership positions can earn considerably more.

Clinical healthcare professionals

Healthcare is already making use of AI, from analysing medical images to helping with administrative work, documentation and prior authorisations. However, the technology still cannot replace the professionals responsible for making crucial decisions and caring directly for patients.

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers have to assess individual patients, communicate difficult information, make decisions under pressure and take responsibility for the treatment they provide.

When it comes to pay, doctors in foundation training, for example, can expect to earn between £41,226 and £47,610, while those working in a speciality can receive a basic salary of £63,696 to £102,689.

Chefs

Cooking is another profession that is expected to remain largely human, despite advances in AI. While technology can help restaurants with tasks such as ordering stock, planning rotas and even creating personalised menu or wine recommendations, it cannot easily replace the creativity, instinct and practical skills required by a chef in a busy kitchen.

Chefs rely on creativity, experience and sensory judgement, using taste, smell and appearance to perfect dishes while making quick decisions in a fast-paced environment. They also have to manage teams, solve problems and adapt when things do not go to plan, all of which are difficult skills for AI to replicate.

For those considering a career as a chef, salaries can start at around £23,000 a year, while experienced professionals can earn £35,000 or more. The average hourly rate is around £13.

Architects and engineers

AI may be able to assist with designs and calculations, but architecture and engineering involve far more than simply producing a plan on a computer.

Professionals in these fields can be responsible for the safety and reliability of buildings, structures and complex systems, meaning they ultimately have to stand behind their decisions when mistakes could have serious consequences.

A fully qualified architect in the UK typically earns between £36,000 and £50,000 a year, with the median sitting at around £45,000. Engineers earn approximately £41,000 to £48,000 on average, while graduate roles generally start at around £32,000 to £37,000.

Tech product managers

It might sound surprising to include a technology job on a list of careers that could be protected from AI, but product managers perform a role that depends heavily on decision-making and understanding people.

They sit between the teams developing a product and the people selling it, deciding which features should be prioritised and how the technology needs to evolve to meet customer and business needs.

In start-ups, product managers can expect salaries of around £45,000 to £70,000, while larger technology companies can offer more than £70,000, although these roles generally require greater experience.

AI trainers

And if AI is changing the workplace, there is another career emerging directly because of it: training the technology itself.

AI trainers can be responsible for labelling data, assessing chatbot responses and creating prompts designed to make AI systems more accurate, useful and safe. As more businesses adopt the technology, people who understand how to work with and improve these systems could become increasingly valuable.

There is no single salary for the role because earnings depend heavily on the area of specialisation and whether someone works for a company or offers training independently. As one example, AI trainer Harriet Meyer charges between £500 and £5,000 for her courses.