AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 41-9012.00
Will AI replace Models?
Models: AI can already handle 1 of 10 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 10 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Models, from most to least exposed. 1 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pose as directed, or strike suitable interpretive poses for promoting and selling merchandise or fashions during appearances, filming, or photo sessions. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Record rates of pay and durations of jobs on vouchers. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Pose for artists and photographers. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Gather information from agents concerning the pay, dates, times, provisions, and lengths of jobs. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Report job completions to agencies and obtain information about future appointments. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Apply makeup to face and style hair to enhance appearance, considering such factors as color, camera techniques, and facial features. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Work closely with photographers, fashion coordinators, directors, producers, stylists, make-up artists, other models, and clients to produce the desired looks, and to finish photo shoots on schedule. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Dress in sample or completed garments, and select accessories. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Assemble and maintain portfolios, print composite cards, and travel to go-sees to obtain jobs. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Follow strict routines of diet, sleep, and exercise to maintain appearance. | Estimated | Efficient |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 10 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 10 of 10. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A standard-tier model or lower covers 90% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 3,780
- Median annual wage
- $48,470
- Middle half of earners
- $35,710 to $99,320
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- -0.5%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic 64% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure24
- Fashion Designers 63% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure45
- Model Makers, Wood 62% skill overlap, about 14 months to move Exposure34
- Actors 57% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure69
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers 57% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure36
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Models and AI
Will AI replace Models?
AI already handles 1 of the 10 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 32 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -0.5% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Models?
32 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 10 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 10 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Models tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Pose as directed, or strike suitable interpretive poses for promoting and selling merchandise or fashions during appearances, filming, or photo sessions. It is the only task that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 90% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Models, and what do they earn?
3,780 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $48,470 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -0.5% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Models. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/models
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