Often handed to AI
Task areas most often handled directively in observed AI conversations — candidates to delegate with light review.
- Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices. · 0.6%
Social and Human Service Assistants
Occupation · SOC 21-1093.00
Assist other social and human service providers in providing client services in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, including support for families. May assist clients in identifying and obtaining available benefits and social and community services. May assist social workers with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care.
Also called: Advocate · Clinical Assistant · Social Work Associate · Social Worker Assistant · Addictions Counselor Assistant · Residential Care Assistant · Social Services Aide · Social Services Assistant · Social Work Assistant · Case Aide · Case Management Assistant · Case Management Coordinator
Job family: Community and Social Service Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-21-1093-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Use as a copilot
Task areas where people work with AI — iterating, learning, or checking — staying in the loop rather than handing the task off.
- Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals. · 0.4%
- Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance. · 0.3%
Keep a human in the loop
Task areas where a human was still judged necessary in a large share of observed conversations — not a safety ruling, an observed-need signal.
- Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices. · 100.0% need a human
- Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals. · 97.4% need a human
- Assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets. · 97.1% need a human
Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- About average employment outlook (+6.4% by 2034)
- 50,600 openings/yr
- High AI exposure
- Observed AI use leans augmentation
- Median pay $45,120/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- A reversal from 2013 — rated low automation risk then (30th), high AI task-overlap now (62nd)
62nd-percentile task overlap — yet about 50,600 openings a year (+6.4% projected, BLS), and observed AI use leans 2909% copilot, not hand-off (AEI) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate | 59th | 0.5 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Moderate | 48th | 0.6 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) High | 82nd | 0.3 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.2), with simple added tooling (β 0.4), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.6). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.1 · 30th percentile among occupations · Low
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals. | 0.5% | |
| Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance. | 0.2% | |
| Assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets. | 0.2% | |
| Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices. | 0.2% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | About average · +6.4% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 50,600 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 449,600 → 478,500 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Social and Human Service Assistants sits at the 62nd percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure rose from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
33% mean task exposure (2025)
62nd percentile of 427 placed occupations
+4 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work Associate Professionals · 3412 | 33% | Minimal |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Working with AI in this job
How people actually apply AI to this occupation's tasks, from Claude.ai (Free and Pro) conversations in the Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15. This is one AI assistant's consumer sample — not all AI, not the whole workforce. Autonomy and the collaboration mix are model-rated estimates; figures below the sample floor are hidden.
| Augmentation vs. automation | 29.1% working with AI · 13.3% handed to AI |
| Most common way people use AI here | Learning · you ask AI to explain or teach |
| Typical AI autonomy | 3.0 / 5 · higher = AI acts more independently |
What people delegate to AI
The role's most common tasks in AI conversations, each tagged with how people work with the AI on it. “Usage” is the share of observed conversations, not of the job.
| Task | How | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices. | Directive | 0.6% |
| Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals. | Learning | 0.4% |
| Assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets. | — | 0.4% |
| Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance. | Learning | 0.3% |
Where a human is still needed
Tasks where the model most often judged that a person remained necessary — a useful read on the current boundary, not a guarantee.
| Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices. | 100.0% | |
| Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals. | 97.4% | |
| Assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets. | 97.1% | |
| Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance. | 97.1% |
What people most often hand AI here
Example prompts phrased from the tasks people most often delegate to AI in this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index). Each shows the underlying measured task and its share of observed AI use. They are suggested phrasings of real tasks — starting points, not endorsed instructions.
-
Help me observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices.From: Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices. · 0.6% of measured AI use · directive
-
Help me assist in locating housing for displaced individuals.From: Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals. · 0.4% of measured AI use · learning
-
Help me assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets.From: Assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets. · 0.4% of measured AI use
-
Help me provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance.From: Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance. · 0.3% of measured AI use · learning
Tasks
All 20 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Assess clients' cognitive abilities and physical and emotional needs to determine appropriate interventions. Core · importance 4.4
- Develop and implement behavioral management and care plans for clients. Core · importance 4.1
- Oversee day-to-day group activities of residents in institution. Supplemental · importance 4.1
- Keep records or prepare reports for owner or management concerning visits with clients. Core · importance 4.0
- Visit individuals in homes or attend group meetings to provide information on agency services, requirements, or procedures. Core · importance 4.0
- Submit reports and review reports or problems with superior. Core · importance 3.9
- Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals. Supplemental · importance 3.8
- Interview individuals or family members to compile information on social, educational, criminal, institutional, or drug history. Core · importance 3.8
- Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance. Core · importance 3.6
- Consult with supervisor concerning programs for individual families. Supplemental · importance 3.5
- Advise clients regarding food stamps, child care, food, money management, sanitation, or housekeeping. Core · importance 3.4
- Demonstrate use and care of equipment for tenant use. Supplemental · importance 3.3
- Assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets. Supplemental · importance 3.1
- Assist clients with preparation of forms, such as tax or rent forms. Supplemental · importance 3.0
- Explain rules established by owner or management, such as sanitation or maintenance requirements or parking regulations. Supplemental · importance 3.0
- Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices. Supplemental · importance 2.9
- Observe and discuss meal preparation and suggest alternate methods of food preparation. Supplemental · importance 2.9
- Transport and accompany clients to shopping areas or to appointments, using automobile. Supplemental · importance 2.8
- Inform tenants of facilities, such as laundries or playgrounds. Supplemental · importance 2.6
- Meet with youth groups to acquaint them with consequences of delinquent acts. Supplemental
Emerging tasks
Newer responsibilities O*NET has flagged as growing for this occupation.
- Teach parenting techniques to family members.
Work activities
- Conduct diagnostic tests to determine patient health.
- Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
- Develop treatment plans for patients or clients.
- Present social services program information to the public.
- Refer clients to community or social service programs.
- Write reports or evaluations.
- Maintain social services program records.
- Visit individuals in their homes to provide support or information.
- Teach life skills or strategies to clients or their families.
- Monitor activities of individuals to ensure safety or compliance with rules.
- Interview clients to gather information about their backgrounds, needs, or progress.
- Transport clients to appointments.
- Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.
- Monitor nutrition related activities of individuals or groups.
- Advise clients or community groups on health issues.
- Demonstrate activity techniques or equipment use.
- Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
- Provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients.
- Help clients get needed services or resources.
- Assist clients in handling details of daily life.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
Essential skills
| Active Listening | 4.0 | |
| Speaking | 4.0 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | |
| Writing | 3.6 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 | |
| Monitoring | 3.6 | |
| Active Learning | 3.3 | |
| Learning Strategies | 2.9 |
Transferable skills
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.9 | |
| Coordination | 3.8 | |
| Persuasion | 3.4 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 | |
| Negotiation | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Abilities
| Oral Expression | 4.0 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.9 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.9 | |
| Written Expression | 3.9 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.9 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.9 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.9 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.6 | |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.3 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.3 | |
| Near Vision | 3.3 | |
| Originality | 3.0 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.0 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.0 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.0 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.0 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
| Example | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | Hot technology In demand |
| MEDITECH software | Medical software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Access | Data base user interface and query software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | Hot technology |
| Database software | Data base user interface and query software | |
| Electronic medical record EMR software | Medical software | |
| Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking | Voice recognition software | |
| PointClickCare healthcare software | Medical software | |
| Web browser software | Internet browser software |
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 4 — Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Preparation level
- SVP (7.0 to < 8.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences , Public Administration and Social Service Professions . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| Bachelor's Degree | 39.4% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 18.0% | |
| Some College Courses | 16.2% | |
| High School Diploma | 10.4% | |
| Master's Degree | 7.4% | |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 3.8% | |
| Doctoral Degree | 3.8% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Work styles
| Dependability | 7.0 | |
| Integrity | 6.0 | |
| Cooperation | 5.0 | |
| Social Orientation | 4.0 | |
| Empathy | 3.0 |
Interest areas
| Social Service | 6.5 | |
| Professional Advising | 4.4 | |
| Social Science | 4.0 | |
| Personal Service | 3.7 | |
| Health Care Service | 3.6 | |
| Office Work | 3.0 | |
| Teaching/Education | 2.7 |
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Social | 6.1 | |
| Conventional | 4.6 | |
| Enterprising | 3.6 | |
| Investigative | 2.8 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $33,280 |
| 25th percentile | $37,770 |
| Median (50th) | $45,120 |
| 75th percentile | $53,040 |
| 90th percentile | $63,850 |
| People employed | 424,220 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities · National industry | 28.51× | 20,290 |
| Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers · National industry | 24.38× | 20,770 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities · National industry | 7.89× | 8,450 |
| Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) · National industry | 7.67× | 5,100 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities · National industry | 5.07× | 33,640 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector | 4.37× | 277,510 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 2.4× | 29,220 |
| Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists · National industry | 1.44× | 1,890 |
Related occupations
Part of the Healthcare & Human Services career cluster.
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers · 21-1021.00 Compare →
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers · 21-1023.00 Compare →
- Healthcare Social Workers · 21-1022.00 Compare →
- Marriage and Family Therapists · 21-1013.00 Compare →
- Mental Health Counselors · 21-1014.00 Compare →
- Rehabilitation Counselors · 21-1015.00 Compare →
- Community Health Workers · 21-1094.00 Compare →
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists · 19-3033.00 Compare →
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors · 21-1012.00 Compare →
- Health Education Specialists · 21-1091.00 Compare →
- Psychiatric Technicians · 29-2053.00 Compare →
- Psychiatric Aides · 31-1133.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Social and Human Service Assistants — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 4 — Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences · field of study
- Public Administration and Social Service Professions · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 62nd percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Social and Human Service Assistants show 62nd-percentile AI task overlap — and about 50,600 annual U.S. openings
- Social and Human Service Assistants rank in the 62nd percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 50,600 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be about average (+6.4%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $45,120, across about 424,220 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
- Of the AI use actually observed for this work, 29% looks like augmentation (drafting, iterating, checking) rather than hands-off automation — from a Claude.ai usage sample, not a census.2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2
Copy the whole kit
Social and Human Service Assistants show 62nd-percentile AI task overlap — and about 50,600 annual U.S. openings • Social and Human Service Assistants rank in the 62nd percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 50,600 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be about average (+6.4%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $45,120, across about 424,220 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) • Of the AI use actually observed for this work, 29% looks like augmentation (drafting, iterating, checking) rather than hands-off automation — from a Claude.ai usage sample, not a census. (2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2) Source: Singulariki — "Social and Human Service Assistants". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-21-1093-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Social and Human Service Assistants." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-21-1093-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Social and Human Service Assistants. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-21-1093-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-21-1093-00,
title = {Social and Human Service Assistants},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-21-1093-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.