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Will there be a need for my career path in the future?

With artificial intelligence's rapid growth in popularity, will there be a real need for living physical therapists? Or is it possible that the career that I desire to pursue will be replaced by a robot?

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Tate’s Answer

The future you’re walking into - especially as a physical therapist - is not a dead-end road taken over by robots. It’s actually one of the more resilient, deeply human paths that will continue to matter precisely because of what AI cannot fully do. Yes, AI is accelerating. Yes, robotics and automation are expanding their range. And yes, some aspects of healthcare are already being streamlined by machines - diagnostic tools, rehabilitation tracking software, exoskeletons, even remote therapy assistance. But physical therapy, at its core, isn't just about movements, muscles, and metrics. It’s about touch, intuition, and the nuance of human engagement. AI can't replicate the subtlety of empathy, the lived understanding of pain, or the motivational force that a human therapist can offer in healing. The value of a physical therapist isn't reducible to executing a set of stretches or monitoring joint angles. It's also the lived presence, the trust you build with someone who's vulnerable, recovering, in need of encouragement. That connection can’t be coded, not fully. Algorithms may become excellent adjuncts—tools to enhance your ability—but not your replacement. And no matter how intelligent the system, it cannot kneel beside someone, read the resistance in their eyes, adjust a movement intuitively, or offer reassurance that lands because it’s human. In fact, your role might even expand in importance. As we get more tech in healthcare, people will crave the human element even more. The therapist of the future may not only guide bodies through recovery but also navigate a digital landscape of tools, customizing the best of tech with the irreplaceable art of care. So no - your career isn’t obsolete. It’s evolving. And it needs people like you, who can blend intelligence with empathy, science with humanity. AI might assist, but it will never be the healing hand, the grounding voice, the living presence that recovery so often requires.
Thank you comment icon You rock! This advice is very helpful. Cohen
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Allison’s Answer

Great question - I think tons of people are having similar thoughts as AI continues to surge. I'll link an article below that I read recently that I think breaks down semi-fairly what career paths are potentially at risk. According to the author's framework, I believe physical therapy would be categorized under "Tasks require physical presence or dexterity", which they label as Low Vulnerability.

While I wouldn't treat this article as gospel, I think it does a decent job of outlining how we perceive the value of work right now, and helping us think through was qualities are automatable, and which are not. What it doesn't account for well is the new opportunities that will hit the job market due to AI or how fields will evolve to work *with* AI (and not disappear altogether). There's a lot to watch play out still, but I think any monumental shifts will take some time.

https://commonplace.org/2025/03/20/will-ai-automate-away-your-job/?utm_source=the-job.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=training-ev-technicians&_bhlid=4c2e61cb6ca97a6127bda034bd0146dab21326ee
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Jimmy’s Answer

I agree with the comments and want to add that the only thing that stays the same in life is change. We should always expect change, even if we don't know where it will come from. I work in nutrition and community health, teaching others about nutrition. Now, a lot of this information can be found in an AI chat model if used correctly. Sometimes, I've wondered if I'm on the right path, but I remind myself that I love what I do, and it doesn't feel like work. I think that's the key—finding a path that feels less like work and more like something you always want to learn about and do.
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