AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 33-9032.00
Will AI replace Security Guards?
Security Guards: AI can already handle 1 of 14 tasks; the work mostly needs an efficient-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 14 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Security Guards, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or unusual occurrences. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Patrol industrial or commercial premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows, and gates. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Respond to medical emergencies by administering basic first aid or by obtaining assistance from paramedics. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Answer alarms and investigate disturbances. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Circulate among visitors, patrons, or employees to preserve order and protect property. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Warn persons of rule infractions or violations, and apprehend or evict violators from premises, using force when necessary. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Answer telephone calls to take messages, answer questions, and provide information during non-business hours or when switchboard is closed. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire or presence of unauthorized persons. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Operate detecting devices to screen individuals and prevent passage of prohibited articles into restricted areas. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft and maintain security of premises. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Inspect and adjust security systems, equipment, or machinery to ensure operational use and to detect evidence of tampering. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Lock doors and gates of entrances and exits to secure buildings. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Monitor and adjust controls that regulate building systems, such as air conditioning, furnace, or boiler. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Escort or drive motor vehicle to transport individuals to specified locations or to provide personal protection. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 14 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 14 of 14. 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
An efficient-tier model or lower covers 82% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 82% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 19% is hands-on.
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
- 1,283,470
- Median annual wage
- $38,020
- Middle half of earners
- $35,210 to $46,200
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +0.4%
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.
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers 74% skill overlap, about 9 months to move Exposure35
- Security Managers 69% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure54
- Transportation Security Screeners 66% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure48
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 65% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure65
- Bailiffs 65% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure28
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Security Guards and AI
Will AI replace Security Guards?
AI already handles 1 of the 14 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 29 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 +0.4% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Security Guards?
29 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 14 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 14 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Security Guards tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or unusual occurrences. It is the only task that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
An efficient-tier model or lower covers 82% 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 Security Guards, and what do they earn?
1,283,470 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $38,020 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +0.4% 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: Security Guards. 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/security-guards
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