8 high-demand jobs technology replaced well before AI

AI advancements are on pace to replace many modern jobs. You don’t believe it? Many people didn’t believe it in the 20th century either. Then technology progressed regardless and all those in-demand, highly paid jobs just vanished.

Here are 10 of the top jobs and skills that simply got replaced and forced people to reboot their careers. These aren’t just the often-cited typing or dictation jobs; these were highly trained professions.

Do you remember doing these back in the day?

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Broadcast video tape editors

Television content used to be taped on magnetic reels. Tape editors were specialists who had to physically cut and synchronize magnetic tape for television news, documentaries, etc.

Frame by frame, they had to assemble the final cut by hand, matching timing, syncing audio and avoiding mistakes. They had to be storytellers as well as technically adept. Any mistakes were incredibly expensive to fix.

Digital editing replaced these jobs. People were able to do the same editing on a computer at a fraction of the cost and time.

Commercial print proofreaders

Before digital tools, print media was everything. Newspapers and magazines ruled the roost. Print proofreaders ensured that each printed copy met the standards required to distribute to millions of people.

They didn’t just look at grammar and spelling; they ensured that the layout, font, page flow, even ink density makes sense.

Floor runners

We aren’t talking about little babies running all over the floor. Stock floor runners were how stock orders used to be completed on stock exchange trading floors. They would literally have to run with time-sensitive orders back-and-forth on the floor, interpreting shouted quantities and sums, under immense pressure.

Electronic trading removed this effort, and these jobs.

Library research specialists

You had to be a scholar level expert for this job. They were the original Google.

People would walk in to the library and could ask the specialists any question like, “I need information on land ownership rights.” The specialists would then need to translate that into laws, historical context, reports and texts; then they would find that material in the library for the visitor.

Computers, internet and digital reference material put an end to this highly specialized role.

Corporate switchboard operators

Operators kept the lines of communication flowing in large corporations and government offices. When a call came in, an operator would pick it up, then manually connect the caller to the desired extension by connecting physical switches on a switchboard.

Modern telephone systems and cell phones made this job extinct.

Cartographic (Map) drafters

Before GPS and phones took over, we had paper maps. Drafters designed maps to balance detail and clarity. Each kind of map, like for public or military use, required different details and different designs, layers and data.

Technology automated this process and most of these jobs are gone.

Music session copyists

Copyists ensured that a composer’s rough drafts were accurately translated into music sheets. Every musician had a copy specially created for their instrument, using it for recordings or live performances.

Any mistakes could have big financial and reputational implications. Deadlines were tight, often requiring copyists to work long hours.

Risk specialists

Insurance companies had specialized roles for assessing risk in cases which normal processes (or software) couldn’t handle. Each specialist had deep expertise in their area, assessing risk for odd and unusual claims, often with limited information.

Now, advances in actuarial science and software models has largely made this role redundant.