Will AI replace Therapists, All Other?

Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 55 official task statements scored for Therapists, All Other (United States, SOC 29-1129), 7% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 26 out of 100 (range 21–32, band: low). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.

Which tasks in “Therapists, All Other” can AI already do?

The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines” (83/100, very high); “Recommend or purchase needed art supplies or equipment” (68/100, high); “Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of treatments or therapy approaches” (66/100, high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.

Which tasks in “Therapists, All Other” stay human?

About 80% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments” (0/100, minimal); “Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs” (0/100, minimal); “Identify and respond to emergency physical or mental health situations” (1/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.

What should someone working in “Therapists, All Other” do about AI?

Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 7% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 80% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.

How is the AI exposure score for Therapists, All Other calculated?

Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 55 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

US dataswitch to UK

Therapists, All Other

designing or providing music therapy experiences to address client needs, gathering diagnostic data from sources and engaging clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: sing or playing musical instruments is work software can't reach.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 7%
changing shape: 14%
staying human: 80%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 26 out of 100 (21–32 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, across 55 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for therapists, all other is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-05. Read the full method.

What shifts is reviewing research or literature in art therapy: the overhead at the edges, not the middle you trained for.

Your week, as this page understands it

All therapists not listed separately. The job title says “therapists” or “all other”: officially one job, two names. The real job is the part underneath: sing or playing musical instruments. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But therapists, all other is not one task. It is 55 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is sing or playing musical instruments, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 7%
changing shape: 14%
staying human: 80%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

How we know this

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-05. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

5 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Shifting to AI

4 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Recommending or purchasing needed art supplies or equipment
This is reading one thing and writing another: needed art supplies in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Recommend or purchase needed art supplies or equipment.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 68 out of 100 (64–72 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Working out what supplies are needed and placing the order is ordinary desk and catalogue work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Reviewing research or literature in art therapy
This is reading one thing and writing another: research in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 83 out of 100 (79–87 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Finding and summarizing published research is one of the things software does fastest and most reliably.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Analyzing data to determine the effectiveness of specific treatments or therapy approaches
This is reading one thing and writing another: data in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of specific treatments or therapy approaches.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 66 out of 100 (62–70 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Measuring which treatments worked is standard analysis of records the service already holds.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Analyzing data to determine the effectiveness of treatments or therapy approaches
This is reading one thing and writing another: data in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of treatments or therapy approaches.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 66 out of 100 (62–70 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Comparing outcomes across clients to see what works is standard analysis of records already held.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Changing shape

7 tasks

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

Customizing treatment programs for specific areas of music therapy
The software now makes the first pass at treatment programs, but someone has to be answerable for the result, and it cannot be the software. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Customize treatment programs for specific areas of music therapy, such as intellectual or developmental disabilities, educational settings, geriatrics, medical settings, mental health, physical disabilities, or wellness.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 43 out of 100 (36–50 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Adapting programs for settings like geriatrics or schools is documented planning work done away from the client.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Documenting evaluations, treatment plans, case summaries or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups
The software now makes the first pass at evaluations, treatment plans, but someone has to be answerable for the result, and it cannot be the software. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Document evaluations, treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (52–60 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Turning session notes into treatment plans and progress reports is routine writing from material already recorded.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Writing treatment plans, case summaries or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups
The software now makes the first pass at treatment plans, but someone has to be answerable for the result, and it cannot be the software. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Write treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (52–60 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Writing up plans and progress reports from existing notes is the kind of drafting software already does well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

44 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

Designing or providing music therapy experiences to address client needs
This work happens in the physical world: music therapy experiences, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Design or provide music therapy experiences to address client needs, such as using music for self-care, adjusting to life changes, improving cognitive functioning, raising self-esteem, communicating, or controlling impulses.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 6 out of 100 (2–10 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Providing musical experiences happens live, with a trained therapist reading the client's response as it comes.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 3/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Designing music therapy experiences, using various musical elements to meet client's goals or objectives
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for music therapy experiences, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Design music therapy experiences, using various musical elements to meet client's goals or objectives.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 32 out of 100 (25–39 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Session designs draft well from documented methods, but a qualified therapist fits them to the person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Sing or playing musical instruments
This work happens in the physical world: musical instruments, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Playing or singing for a client is a physical performance in the room with them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

Show the other 45 tasks

Composing, arranging or adapt music for music therapy treatments
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at adapt music, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Compose, arrange, or adapt music for music therapy treatments.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 50 out of 100 (43–57 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Music software can now generate and arrange pieces, though the therapist adapts them to the client's needs.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Communicating client assessment findings and recommendations in oral
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at client assessment findings, but someone has to be answerable for the result, and it cannot be the software. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (44–52 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Turning assessment findings into a clear written or spoken summary is straightforward drafting from existing material.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Communicating client assessment findings and recommendations in oral
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at client assessment findings, but someone has to be answerable for the result, and it cannot be the software. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (44–52 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Turning assessment findings into a clear written or spoken summary is straightforward drafting from existing material.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Customizing art therapy programs for specific client populations
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at art therapy programs, but someone has to be answerable for the result, and it cannot be the software. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Customize art therapy programs for specific client populations, such as those in schools, nursing homes, wellness centers, prisons, shelters, or hospitals.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 43 out of 100 (36–50 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Tailoring a program for a school, prison or nursing home is well-documented planning work done at a desk.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Analyzing or synthesizing client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for art therapy
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for client data, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for art therapy.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Client records can be summarized automatically, though the clinical conclusions still need a trained therapist's judgment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Analyzing or synthesizing client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for therapy
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for client data, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for therapy.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Records can be summarized automatically, but the clinical conclusion is still the therapist's call.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Planning or structuring music therapy sessions to achieve appropriate transitions
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for music therapy sessions, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Plan or structure music therapy sessions to achieve appropriate transitions, pacing, sequencing, energy level, or intensity in accordance with treatment plans.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Pacing and sequencing a session can be drafted, but the therapist judges what suits this client.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Applying selected research findings to practice
staying human
The ratings behind this row put selected research findings well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Apply selected research findings to practice.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Research findings are easy to summarize; changing how you actually practise is the harder human part.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Applying current technology to music therapy practices
staying human
The ratings behind this row put current technology well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Apply current technology to music therapy practices.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Picking up new technology is well documented, though fitting it into live sessions takes practice.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Designing art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for art therapy sessions, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 37 out of 100 (30–44 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Session plans draft well from documented approaches, though a qualified therapist reshapes them around the individual client.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Developing individualized treatment plans that incorporate studio art therapy
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for individualized treatment plans, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Develop individualized treatment plans that incorporate studio art therapy, counseling, or psychotherapy techniques.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 32 out of 100 (25–39 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: A plan can be drafted quickly, but a credentialed therapist decides what actually fits this client.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Adapting existing or developing new music therapy assessment instruments or procedures to meet an individual client's needs
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for new music therapy assessment instruments, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Adapt existing or develop new music therapy assessment instruments or procedures to meet an individual client's needs.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 32 out of 100 (25–39 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Assessment tools draft well from published examples, but adapting them for one client needs professional judgment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Conducting or assisting in the conduct
staying human
The ratings behind this row put the conduct well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 3 · Core
Source: “Conduct, or assist in the conduct of, music therapy research.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 32 out of 100 (25–39 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Study design and analysis can be drafted, but collecting data from real clients needs people.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Conducting information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles information sharing sessions and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 30 out of 100 (23–37 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Workshop material can be written automatically, but standing up and delivering it to a room is a person's job.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Conducting information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles information sharing sessions and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 30 out of 100 (23–37 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Workshop material can be written automatically, but standing up and delivering it to a room is a person's job.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Establishing goals or objectives for art therapy sessions in consultation with clients or site administrators
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for goals, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Establish goals or objectives for art therapy sessions in consultation with clients or site administrators.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 26 out of 100 (19–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Goals are agreed in conversation with the client or the site, so someone sits in that discussion.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Establishing client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for client goals, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 26 out of 100 (19–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Goals are set with the client, so the conversation matters as much as the written objective.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Collaborating with others to design or implement interdisciplinary treatment programs
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for this work, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Collaborate with others to design or implement interdisciplinary treatment programs.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 26 out of 100 (19–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Joint programs are built through negotiation with other professionals as much as through the written plan.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Participating in continuing education
staying human
The ratings behind this row put continuing education well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Participate in continuing education.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 26 out of 100 (19–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over.
The rating behind it: Course material is easy to supply, but the learning has to happen in the practitioner's own head.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Observing and documenting client reactions
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for client reactions, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to music therapy.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 24 out of 100 (17–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Notes can be written up automatically, but noticing how a client responds means being in the session.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Integrating behavioral, developmental, improvisational, medical or neurological approaches into music therapy treatments
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for behavioral, developmental, improvisational, medical or neurological approaches, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Integrate behavioral, developmental, improvisational, medical, or neurological approaches into music therapy treatments.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 24 out of 100 (17–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Blending different treatment approaches drafts well from the literature, but applying them needs clinical judgment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Gathering client information from sources
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles client information and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Gather client information from sources such as case documentation, client observation, or interviews of client or family members.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 23 out of 100 (16–30 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Records can be pulled together automatically, but interviewing clients and families needs a person present.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Gathering diagnostic data from sources
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles diagnostic data and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Gather diagnostic data from sources such as case documentation, observations of clients, or interviews with clients or family members.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 23 out of 100 (16–30 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Case files can be gathered automatically, though interviewing clients and relatives still needs a person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Selecting or adapting musical instruments
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: musical instruments, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Select or adapt musical instruments, musical equipment, or non-musical materials, such as adaptive devices or visual aids, to meet treatment objectives.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 22 out of 100 (15–29 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Suggestions about instruments or adaptive aids are easy; sourcing and setting them up is hands-on.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Assessing the risks and benefits of treatment termination for clients
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for the risks, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Assess the risks and benefits of treatment termination for clients.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 22 out of 100 (15–29 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Deciding whether to end treatment is a clinical judgment a licensed therapist makes with the client.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 3/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Coordinating art showcases to display artwork produced by clients
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: art showcases, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Coordinate art showcases to display artwork produced by clients.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 21 out of 100 (14–28 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Planning an exhibition can be drafted, but hanging the work and running the event happens in a room.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Coordinating field trips for client groups to museums or other public displays of art
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: field trips, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 2 · Supplemental
Source: “Coordinate field trips for client groups to museums or other public displays of art.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 19 out of 100 (12–26 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Trip planning drafts easily, though supervising a client group at a museum needs staff on the day.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Conferring with other professionals on client's treatment team
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for other professionals, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Confer with other professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 17 out of 100 (10–24 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Coordinating a treatment plan means talking it through with other clinicians who share responsibility for the client.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Conferring with professionals on client's treatment team
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for professionals, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Confer with professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 17 out of 100 (10–24 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Agreeing a shared plan means a discussion between clinicians who each carry responsibility for the client.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Observing and documenting client reactions
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: client reactions, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to art therapy.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 16 out of 100 (9–23 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Writing up what happened is straightforward, but noticing it requires being in the room.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Teaching art therapy techniques or processes
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: art therapy techniques, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Core
Source: “Teach art therapy techniques or processes to artists, interns, volunteers, or others.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 15 out of 100 (8–22 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Teaching art techniques involves demonstrating with real materials and responding to how learners handle them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Interpreting the artistic creations of clients to assess their functioning
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for the artistic creations of clients, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Interpret the artistic creations of clients to assess their functioning, needs, or progress.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 12 out of 100 (5–19 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Reading meaning into a client's artwork rests on knowing the person, which is rarely written down.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Selecting or preparing artistic media or related equipment or devices to accomplish therapy session objectives
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: artistic media, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Select or prepare artistic media or related equipment or devices to accomplish therapy session objectives.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 11 out of 100 (4–18 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Choosing materials can be planned on paper, but preparing and setting them out is hands-on.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Supervising staff, volunteers, practicum students or interns engaged in music therapy activities
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for staff, volunteers, practicum students or interns, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns engaged in music therapy activities.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (6–14 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Supervising trainees rests on watching them with clients and coaching them personally.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Photographing or videotaping client artwork for inclusion in client records or for promotional purposes
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: client artwork, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Photograph or videotape client artwork for inclusion in client records or for promotional purposes.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 7 out of 100 (3–11 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Someone has to be there with a camera and the artwork; only the filing afterwards is desk work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Supervising staff, volunteers, practicum students or interns
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: staff, volunteers, practicum students or interns, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 7 out of 100 (0–14 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Supervising people day to day relies on being around them and on personal trust.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Assessing client functioning levels, strengths and areas of need in terms of perceptual, sensory, affective, communicative, musical, physical, cognitive, social, spiritual or other abilities
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: client functioning levels, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Assess client functioning levels, strengths, and areas of need in terms of perceptual, sensory, affective, communicative, musical, physical, cognitive, social, spiritual, or other abilities.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 7 out of 100 (3–11 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Judging a client's physical, social and emotional functioning depends on observing them directly.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 3/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Instructing individuals or groups in the use of art media
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: individuals, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Instruct individuals or groups in the use of art media, such as paint, clay, or yarn.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 5 out of 100 (1–9 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Showing someone how to handle paint or clay means being there with the materials and their hands.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Assessing client needs or disorders
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: client needs, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 4 out of 100 (0–8 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Judging someone's needs from how they draw or sculpt depends on being with them while they work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 3/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Conducting art therapy sessions
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: art therapy sessions, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 3 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: The session works because a registered therapist is present with the client; that relationship is the treatment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 3/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 4/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Engaging clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: clients, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Engage clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music, types of musical experiences, such as improvising or listening, or elements of music, such as tempo or harmony.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 3 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Finding out how a client reacts to different music means playing it for them and watching.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Talking with clients during art or other therapy sessions to build rapport
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: clients during art, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Talk with clients during art or other therapy sessions to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to the artistic process.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 1 out of 100 (0–5 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Building rapport in the moment is the whole point here, so there is nothing for software to produce.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 3/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 4/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Communicating with clients to build rapport
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: clients, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Communicate with clients to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to musical experiences.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 1 out of 100 (0–5 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: The whole value here is the relationship with the client, which cannot be produced by a tool.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 4/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Identifying and responding to emergency physical or mental health situations
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: emergency physical, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Identify and respond to emergency physical or mental health situations.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 1 out of 100 (0–5 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Spotting and responding to a medical or mental health emergency needs a trained person right there.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 3/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Improvising instrumentally, vocally or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: instrumentally, vocally, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Improvising music on the spot for a client is performance in the room, not work at a screen.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: $77,930a year, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.bls-oews, 2025 · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
How we know this
Source: bls-oews
Reference period: May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
Rounding: Shown as published.
People doing this job: 22,640in the US, 2025.bls-oews · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: needed art supplies in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: reviewing research or literature in art therapy and recommending or purchasing needed art supplies or equipment. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where musical instruments get done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Start with what does not change: sing or playing musical instruments is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 7% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 14% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 80% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 55 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. Reviewing research or literature in art therapy is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.

This week: one thing

Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to needed art supplies, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.

What you end up holding: a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
How long it takes: ten minutes

If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether musical instruments are in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no license needed.

Over the next 90 days

Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near customizing treatment programs for specific areas of music therapy. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.

Over the next 12 months

On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, use CareerOneStop - Find local training. It is free, it is the Labor Department's own service, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest US occupations to therapists, all other (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was recreational therapists: only about 2% of its durable work is work you already do and it pays 20.5% less. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 26/100 here, with only 7% of the task list in the top band, and “design or provide music therapy experiences to address client needs” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 830 US occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

Recreational Therapists
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already confer with other professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate…, and their equivalent is to confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs. Across both published task lists that is about 2% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 2% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. It is a pay cut, in those words: $61,960 against your $77,930, 20.5% less (OEWS May 2025 (both)). Retraining to earn less is a decision, not advice.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns engaged in music therapy activities, and their equivalent is to direct, coordinate, and evaluate activities of staff and interns engaged in patient assessment…. Across both published task lists that is about 2% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 2% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already participate in continuing education, and their equivalent is to attend continuing education classes. Across both published task lists that is about 2% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 2% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 7% of its task weight, across 55 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The headlines about your trade disappearing
They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like sing or playing musical instruments arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.
Retraining out of a job that is holding up
On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United States figures

The United Kingdom splits this work across more than one official group, of which Occupational therapists is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United Kingdom page →partial match

The other groups this work is counted across:

In UK official statistics this job is counted as Occupational therapists, Podiatrists and Therapy professionals n.e.c.. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Find local training
Search what's running near you, from the Labor Department's own database, before anyone sells you a course.
Free to search; individual programs vary, and some are funded
Anywhere in the US:
American Job Center locator
An American Job Center will sit down with you for free. Find yours by ZIP code.
Free
- CareerOneStop local help hub
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Licensed occupations finder
Check what your state actually requires before you pay for anything.
Free
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop
Free

No Space for this job, but one for what is happening to it

Nothing Collab365 runs is built for therapists / all other, and we are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

There is one that is not about a job title at all. The AI Authority is about being the person who directs these tools at work rather than the person they get compared to. That is worth saying here, because 7% of the work on this page is already inside what they can do.

Try The AI Authority free →

7 days free, no card needed. Explore up to 2 Spaces before you choose a plan: you pick a plan later, not now.

The AI Authority is a general community about working with AI, not a course for therapists / all other. You do not need it to act on anything here: the moves above cost nothing and stand on their own. The data on this page is the same either way.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for therapists / all other launches. Nothing else.

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Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

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No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Therapists, All Other?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 55 official task statements scored for Therapists, All Other (United States, SOC 29-1129), 7% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 26 out of 100 (range 21–32, band: low). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Therapists, All Other” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines” (83/100, very high); “Recommend or purchase needed art supplies or equipment” (68/100, high); “Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of treatments or therapy approaches” (66/100, high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Therapists, All Other” stay human?: About 80% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments” (0/100, minimal); “Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs” (0/100, minimal); “Identify and respond to emergency physical or mental health situations” (1/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Therapists, All Other” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 7% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 80% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Therapists, All Other calculated?: Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 55 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

Worth knowing about these figures

The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
5 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Task statements: onet-dbProcessing: catalogue-bridge → onet-im-rt-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights: onet-db (im-rt)
Scores: Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
Pay and employment: bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

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Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.