A new study reveals which fast-growing careers are immune to automation and still pay top dollar

• Health care and applied science careers dominate the list of top-paying, fast-growing jobs least likely to be replaced by AI.

• Experts say jobs that rely on human skills like empathy, judgment, and critical thinking are proving the most AI-resistant.

• Job seekers can use AI as a tool to enhance their searchbut human qualities still matter most in landing and succeeding in these roles.

While there are several benefits associated with artificial intelligence (AI), some consumers may have fears surrounding the technology especially as it pertains to the job market.

To help ease some of those fears, Resume Genius put together a list of the top 10 highest-paying, fastest-growing jobs that AI wont replace.

ConsumerAffairs also interviewed career expert Eva Chan to get the latest on how AI is impacting the job market, how job seekers can use AI to their advantage, and more.

The list

Researchers at Resume Genius created the list by identifying roles with a median annual salary of at least $49,500, a projected job growth rate of over 10% during the decade, and an automation risk below 50%, based on a specialized risk calculator.

Heres a look at the list:

1. Computer and information research scientist

• Median salary: $149,910

• Estimated job growth: 26%

• AI job takeover risk: 31%

2. Physician assistant

• Median salary: $133,260

• Estimated job growth: 28%

• AI job takeover risk: 0%

3. Nurse practitioner

• Median salary: $132,050

• Estimated job growth: 40%

• AI job takeover risk: 0%

4. Veterinarian

• Median salary: $125,510

• Estimated job growth: 19%

• AI job takeover risk: 7%

5. Medical and health services manager

• Median salary: $117,960

• Estimated job growth: 29%

• AI job takeover risk: 16%

6. Speech-language pathologist

• Median salary: $95,410

• Estimated job growth: 18%

• AI job takeover risk: 9%

7. Operations research analyst

• Median salary: $91,290

• Estimated job growth: 23%

• AI job takeover risk: 42%

8. Epidemiologist

• Median salary: $83,980

• Estimated job growth: 19%

• AI job takeover risk: 7%

9. Logistician

• Median salary: $80,880

• Estimated job growth: 19%

• AI job takeover risk: 38%

10. Wind turbine technician

• Median salary: $62,580

• Estimated job growth: 60%

• AI job takeover risk: 39%

How is AI affecting the job market?

According to Chan, AI is changing the job market in visible and subtle ways.

Its automating certain tasks, especially in roles where the work follows a set routine, she said. Were already seeing fewer openings in areas like data entry, payroll, and basic customer support as more of that work gets handled by software. These jobs still matter, but the number of people companies hire for them is declining.

Were also seeing something else: jobs that rely on human presence, care, and judgment are growing. According to our research at Resume Genius, the fastest-growing roles in the next decade arent in coding or automation. Theyre in health care and applied science, which are fields that require critical thinking, people skills, and decision-making in real time.

Using AI to your advantage

If youre on the job hunt, there are ways to utilize AI to your advantage.

AI can take a lot of the friction out of the job search, Chan explained. Its great for getting unstuck or acting as an assistant by helping you polish a resume, suggest better phrasing, or match your experience to a job description. You can also use it to prep for interviews or keep track of where youve applied.

However, despite the benefits, Chan encourages job seekers to keep humanity at the center of their job hunt.

The strongest applications still feel human, she said. Use AI to help you start a draft or check your formatting, then make sure youre adding context and personality that show why youre a good fit for the role. A thoughtful application will always stand out, especially in industries like health care where soft skills like empathy and clear communication are critical to the work.

Looking to the future

Despite the ways that AI is changing things, Chan believes there are still opportunities for job seekers now and in the future.

One encouraging trend is that many of the careers showing long-term stability are also the kinds of work that feel meaningful to many people, she said. Jobs involving health care, science, and technical problem-solving usually give people the chance to keep learning and taking on more responsibility over time.

As you gain experience, the work itself can shift. You might handle more complex cases, use new tools, or work on bigger projects. That kind of growth is part of why these roles stay valuable, even as technology changes. AI might speed things up, but its not replacing real human thinking anytime soon. If youre staying curious and building skills that are useful across different tools or teams, youre in a good spot.

Consumers have been paying as much as 261% for loans in the Ocean State

• Rhode Island was the only New England state that still allowed the high-interest loans, which are generally regarded as predatory.
• The action capped 15 years of effort by consumer groups.
• Borrowers commonly get trapped in an endless cycle of debt that far exceeds the original cost of the loan.

After a long struggle almost fifteen years after legislation was first introduced Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has signed into law a bill that will prohibit payday lenders from charging annual percentage rates (APRs) higher than 36%.

The law will take effect on January 1st, 2027. The typical rate for a payday loan in the state has been 261% APR, according toresearchfrom the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL).

Thanks to the dedication of Rhode Island lawmakers and advocates, the Ocean State will no longer have payday loan sharks. This law will prevent payday lenders from draining millions of dollars in fees annually and instead keep that money in the pockets of Rhode Islanders who really need it,saidCRL Policy Counsel Monica Burks.

While the laws effective start date is way too far from now, these predatory lenders will hopefully see the writing on the wall and stop their usury sooner. We are pleased to see Rhode Island become the 21st state, alongside the District of Columbia, to stop payday loans from trapping people in debt, Burks said.

Gov. McKee, a Democrat, had endorsed the measure. "Payday borrowers are much more than a data point - they are Rhode Islanders who need a few hundred dollars to pay for an unexpected car repair or medical bill. Rhode Island cannot continue to allow these lenders to prey upon our working residents with exorbitant interest rates and fees," he said in a March 2025 letter submitted to a state legislative committee studying the legislation.

Consumers forced the issue after years of inaction, with protests and legislative pressure.

"Rhode Island is the only state in New England that allows this form of predatory lending, charging outrageously high interest rates that suck the life out of our communities, suck the life out of people who are already living in poverty, primarily people of color," said Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser with the RI Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty, at a recent protest outside a payday loan office.

Lobbyists not happy

Not everyone is happy with the new law.William Murphy, the former House Speaker who now works as a lobbyist for Purpose Financial Inc., parent company of Advance America, said the measure would bring economic harm to Rhode Island.

Passage of this legislation will cause Advance Americas employees to lose their jobs and health coverage that they and their families depend on, Murphy said in an emailto the Rhode Island Current newspaper.

The state will now have eight additional vacant storefronts. Importantly, thousands of Rhode Islanders will lose much needed immediate access to credit and the ability to make their own personal financial choice. There are no equal alternatives for people in Rhode Island.

In 2022, the most recent data available, Rhode Island borrowers paid an estimated $2.8 million on interest and fees associated with payday loans, based on the $28.2 million of money borrowed across 80,650 loans, according to arecent CRLreport.

Long cycles of debt

Payday loans have been shown to pull people into long cycles of repeat reborrowing that pull them deep into debt. Research from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) shows that four out of every five payday loans are reborrowed within two weeks.

Polling consistently shows a strong majority of Republican, Democratic, and independent voters support strong interest rate caps, as shownin several state ballot initiatives, including in Nebraska, where in 2020 a cap was enacted with support from over 80% of voters.

The 21 states, alongside D.C., with strong interest rate caps that stop the payday loan debt trap are: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia.

While the sales may have cooled, scammers have not

• Scammers often strike after Prime Day, targeting consumers with fake delivery messages while they wait for packages.

• AI-powered are becoming harder to spot, mimicking legitimate messages from Amazon, UPS, and FedEx.

• Experts urge consumers to be proactive, avoid clicking suspicious links, enable two-factor authentication, and verify messages through official apps.

The most recent iteration of Amazons Prime Day has recently come to a close.

While many consumers are used to the spike in during the multi-day sales event, it may be less well-known that scammers like to strike in the days following the sales.

To help navigate the scam risks, ConsumerAffairs talked to Clayton LiaBraaten, Senior Executive Advisor at Truecaller, to learn about this next wave of , who's most at risk, and what to watch for in the coming days.

Post-Prime Day, we see a spike in delivery-related as consumers place orders and await packages, LiaBraaten said. Fraudsters know this is the perfect opportunity to impersonate shipping carriers like Amazon, UPS, or FedEx.

Both consumers who have participated in Prime Day and those who have avoided shopping altogether will face the same threats.

What to look out for

LiaBraaten shared the biggest warning signs consumers should be aware of:

• Be vigilant for messages that urge you to act fast, reschedule a missed delivery, or confirm a shipping address.

• Scammers rely on patterns of urgency and familiarity; the latter is crucial to gaining trust.

• If you get a text or email that looks like it's from a retailer or delivery service, dont click links or input any information unless youve verified the contact through the official website or app.

The rise of AI in

LiaBraaten explained that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has made it easier than ever for scammers to attack at any time.

With the rise of AI and machine learning, scammers are crafting more identical texts and emails that resemble the actual sender, and it's becoming harder to detect the legitimate from the illegitimate, he said.

Using fonts, language, tone, and company graphics, AI is making it easier than ever for scammers to have a leg up on how they present these tactics. It is not perfect consumers must look for signs like odd grammar, strange email addresses, or requests that dont match order activity. Legitimate companies dont ask for sensitive data via SMS or email.

Stay vigilant post-Prime Day

The biggest thing to note: everyone is a target for these kinds of . However, that doesnt mean theyre unavoidable.

LiaBraaten urges consumers to be vigilant when checking emails or reading texts, and take extra security measures to protect data and personal information.

Turn on two-factor authentication for your accounts and dont reuse or share passwords, he said.

Regarding delivery updates, do not follow suspicious links; go directly to your Amazon or carrier app and log into your account to see legitimate, real-time updates. And never provide personal, financial, or login info from an unsolicited message. If something feels off, it probably is.

Dont be reactive

LiaBraatens final piece of advice: be proactive, not reactive.

Scammers are social engineers and evolve quickly, but they still rely on one thing: human response, he said.

We must slow down and not be reactive. It is more beneficial to be proactive to avoid these scammers and stay skeptical, i.e., verify before clicking. By doing so, we take away their power.

If you have loved ones who are not as technically savvy, educate them on how to safely navigate this online space and introduce them to the tools that work on their behalf to block these scammers proactively.

Poison control centers report an alarming 763% increase in cases

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs