# Archivists

> Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.

- **SOC code:** 25-4011.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-4011-00
- **Also known as:** Archivist, Records Manager, Registrar, State Archivist, Accessioning Archivist, Digital Archivist, Film Archivist, Museum Archivist
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.
- Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
- Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
- Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology.
- Establish and administer policy guidelines concerning public access and use of materials.
- Direct activities of workers who assist in arranging, cataloguing, exhibiting, and maintaining collections of valuable materials.
- Preserve records, documents, and objects, copying records to film, videotape, audiotape, disk, or computer formats as necessary.
- Research and record the origins and historical significance of archival materials.
- Locate new materials and direct their acquisition and display.
- Authenticate and appraise historical documents and archival materials.
- Coordinate educational and public outreach programs, such as tours, workshops, lectures, and classes.
- Specialize in an area of history or technology, researching topics or items relevant to collections to determine what should be retained or acquired.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Write grants and apply for funding to support archival work.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- History and Archeology _(knowledge)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Category Flexibility _(ability)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Customer and Personal Service _(knowledge)_
- Active Listening _(essential_skill)_
- Writing _(essential_skill)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Written Expression _(ability)_
- Information Ordering _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Writing _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Active Learning _(Common Skill)_
- Complex Problem Solving _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Acrobat _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Creative Cloud software _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Illustrator _(hot technology)_
- Adobe InDesign _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(hot technology)_
- Extensible markup language XML _(hot technology)_
- Hypertext markup language HTML _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Access _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 78th percentile (High) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 63rd percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 82nd percentile (High) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 85th percentile (High) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 62nd percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** yes — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 3.8% growth (About average); 1.1k annual openings; 9.3k → 9.7k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $61,570; 7,050 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 49% automation, 44% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 4.0 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** directive.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Select and edit documents for publication and display, applying knowledge of subject, literary expression, and presentation techniques. _(18.2% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials. _(1.5% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology. _(0.4% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information. _(0.4% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Research and record the origins and historical significance of archival materials. _(0.3% of measured AI use)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me select and edit documents for publication and display, applying knowledge of subject, literary expression, and presentation techniques.
- Help me provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
- Help me create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology.
- Help me prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
- Help me research and record the origins and historical significance of archival materials.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-4011-00_