Glossary
Key terms and acronyms used throughout AIJobWatch.
Augmentation
When AI handles specific tasks within a job while the human worker focuses on higher-value activities. Contrasts with displacement, where the entire role is eliminated.
Automation Probability
The estimated likelihood (0–100%) that a given occupation's tasks can be performed by machines or software. Originally computed by Frey & Osborne (2017) for 702 occupations using machine learning classifiers.
BLS
Bureau of Labor Statistics — the principal federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the US economy.
Composite Risk Score
AIJobWatch's proprietary 0–100 score combining five weighted factors: Frey/Osborne probability (30%), OECD task analysis (20%), BLS projections (20%), layoff signals (15%), and GenAI exposure (15%).
Displacement
When automation eliminates an entire job or role, requiring the worker to find employment in a different occupation. Contrasts with augmentation.
FRED
Federal Reserve Economic Data — a database maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis containing 800,000+ US and international economic time series.
GenAI (Generative AI)
AI systems that create new content — text, images, code, audio, video — based on patterns learned from training data. Includes large language models (ChatGPT), image generators (DALL-E, Midjourney), and code assistants (GitHub Copilot).
GenAI Exposure Index
A measure of how much an occupation's tasks overlap with capabilities of large language models and generative AI tools. Based on the Eloundou et al. (2023) methodology.
Gig Economy
A labor market characterized by short-term, freelance, or contract work rather than permanent employment. Includes platforms like Uber, DoorDash, Fiverr, and Upwork.
ISCO
International Standard Classification of Occupations — the ILO's international equivalent of SOC codes, used for cross-country comparisons of occupational data.
LLM (Large Language Model)
A type of AI model trained on massive text datasets to understand and generate human language. Examples: GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, LLaMA. The core technology behind most generative AI text applications.
NAICS
North American Industry Classification System — the standard used by federal agencies to classify business establishments by industry. Uses 2–6 digit codes (e.g., 52 = Finance and Insurance).
Non-Routine Task
A job task requiring flexibility, creativity, problem-solving, or interpersonal skills that are difficult to codify in algorithms. Examples: negotiation, creative writing, emergency response.
O*NET
Occupational Information Network — a free database from the US Department of Labor with detailed descriptions of tasks, skills, abilities, and work contexts for ~1,000 occupations.
OEWS
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — a BLS survey producing annual employment and wage estimates for 800+ occupations across all industries and geographic areas.
Routine Task
A job task that follows explicit rules and can be accomplished by machines following well-defined procedures. Can be manual (assembly line) or cognitive (data entry, bookkeeping).
RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
Software tools that automate repetitive, rule-based digital tasks like data entry, form filling, and report generation. Popular tools include UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and Blue Prism.
Skills Overlap
A percentage (0–100%) measuring how much of the skills required for one occupation transfer to another. Used to identify viable career transition paths.
SOC Code
Standard Occupational Classification code — a 6-digit identifier (e.g., 15-1252 for Software Developers) used by federal agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for consistent data collection.
Task-Based Analysis
An approach to studying automation that evaluates individual tasks within a job rather than the job as a whole. Recognizes that most occupations contain a mix of automatable and non-automatable tasks.
Transition Path
A related occupation with lower automation risk and high skills overlap, representing a viable career pivot. AIJobWatch calculates transition paths based on O*NET skill and task similarity scores.
WARN Act
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act — federal law requiring employers with 100+ employees to give 60-day advance notice of plant closings or mass layoffs affecting 50+ workers.