How exposed to AI is a Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Product?

Q: Will AI replace Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products?

Nothing in this data answers that. It measures whether an AI could halve the time a task takes, not whether an employer keeps the role. 25 per cent of the tasks listed for this occupation cannot be sped up at all.

Q: Which parts of a Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Product job can AI already do?

13 of the 36 tasks listed for this occupation were rated as ones a chat window could finish in half the time.

Of the 36 tasks O*NET lists for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products, 13 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 9 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called

Inside Sales RepresentativeMarketing RepresentativeSales Representative

36%

39%

25%

Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up

36: tasks rated for this occupation
41%: hold a degree, from a survey of 30
266k: people do this job in the US
9 of 22: least protected in sales

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders
Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, or credit terms
Quote prices, credit terms, or other bid specifications
Emphasize product features, based on analyses of customers' needs and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations
Select or assist customers in selecting products based on customer needs, product specifications, and applicable regulations
Identify prospective customers, using business directories, leads from existing clients, participation in organizations, or trade show or conference attendance
Inform customers of estimated delivery schedules, service contracts, warranties, or other information pertaining to purchased products
Provide customers with ongoing technical support
Advise customers on product usage to improve production
Initiate sales campaigns to meet sales and production expectations
Present information to customers about the energy efficiency or environmental impact of scientific or technical products
Inform customers about issues related to responsible use and disposal of products, such as waste reduction or product or byproduct recycling or disposal
Research and convey information to customers about tax benefits or government rebates associated with energy-efficient scientific or technical products, such as solar panels

Only with software built on top

Maintain customer records, using automated systems
Compute customer's installation or production costs and estimate savings from new services, products, or equipment
Prepare sales presentations or proposals to explain product specifications or applications
Complete expense reports, sales reports, or other paperwork
Verify that delivery schedules meet project deadlines
Collaborate with colleagues to exchange information, such as selling strategies or marketing information
Study documentation or other information for new scientific or technical products
Demonstrate the operation or use of technical or scientific products
Provide feedback to product design teams so that products can be tailored to clients' needs
Arrange for installation and testing of products or machinery
Verify accuracy of materials lists
Verify customer credit ratings
Consult with engineers regarding technical problems with products
Visit establishments, such as pharmacies, to determine product sales

Cannot be sped up

Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements
Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales
Contact new or existing customers to discuss how specific products or services can meet their needs
Stock or distribute resources, such as samples or promotional or educational materials
Attend sales or trade meetings or read related publications to obtain information about market conditions, business trends, environmental regulations, or industry developments
Sell service contracts for technical or scientific products
Obtain building blueprints or specifications for use by engineering departments in bid preparations
Appraise equipment to determine contract terms or trade-in values
Sell technical and scientific products that are environmentally sound or designed for environmental remediation

What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.