---
title: "Will AI Replace Computer Network Support Specialists?"
description: "BLS rates computer network support specialists' exposure to AI as very high. What that means, which parts of the work AI touches, and the 2025–2035…"
canonical: "https://nuecareer.com/careers/will-ai-replace-computer-network-support-specialists"
last-updated: "2026-10-15T08:19:32.066Z"
---

# Will AI Replace Computer Network Support Specialists? (2026)

**Short answer:** AI will reshape this job more than most, but BLS does not forecast it disappearing. The exposure is among the highest BLS measured, yet it still projects employment to grow.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics places computer network support specialists in its very high AI exposure category, among the occupations most exposed to current AI. BLS projects employment to change by +1.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 9,000 openings a year.

| Measure | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BLS relative AI exposure | Very high | BLS Employment Projections, AI exposure categories |
| NueCareer AI-resilience score | 28/100 | NueCareer analysis of O\*NET 31.0 Database |
| Projected employment change | +1.2% | BLS EP 2025–2035 |
| Openings a year | 9,000 | BLS EP 2025–2035 |
| Median annual wage | $76,220 | BLS OEWS May 2025 |

## Exposure categories

| BLS category | Occupations |
| --- | --- |
| Low | 203 |
| Moderate | 194 |
| High | 190 |
| Very high (this job) | 199 |

Exposure means AI could be or has been used to assist with or complete some of the work. BLS says it does not imply job loss, productivity gains, automation probability or wage effects. Method: https://www.bls.gov/emp/publications/ai-exposure-categories.htm

## What holds up

- Face-to-face discussions: 4.8/5 (O\*NET work context)
- Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships: 4.0/5 (O\*NET work activity importance)
- Making decisions and solving problems: 3.9/5 (O\*NET work activity importance)
- Dealing with the public: 3.5/5 (O\*NET work context)

## What AI reaches first

- Working with computers: 5.0/5 (O\*NET work activity importance)
- Processing information: 3.8/5 (O\*NET work activity importance)
- Email: 4.9/5 (O\*NET work context)
- Getting information: 4.4/5 (O\*NET work activity importance)

## O\*NET tasks

- Analyze network data to determine network usage, disk space availability, or server function.
- Install new hardware or software systems or components, ensuring integration with existing network systems.
- Configure security settings or access permissions for groups or individuals.
- Create or revise user instructions, procedures, or manuals.
- Configure and define parameters for installation or testing of local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), hubs, routers, switches, controllers, multiplexers, or related networking equipment.
- Document network support activities.

## Related careers less exposed to AI than computer network support specialists

- [Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer, Except Line Installers](https://nuecareer.com/careers/telecommunications-equipment-installer-and-repairer): BLS exposure High, median $63,890; [Will AI replace telecom technicians?](https://nuecareer.com/careers/will-ai-replace-telecom-technicians)

## FAQ

**Will AI replace computer network support specialists?**

AI will reshape this job more than most, but BLS does not forecast it disappearing. The exposure is among the highest BLS measured, yet it still projects employment to grow. BLS defines exposure as AI being able to assist with or complete some of the work, and says it does not imply job loss, productivity gains or wage effects. BLS projects employment to change by +1.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 9,000 openings a year.

**How exposed are computer network support specialists to AI?**

BLS sorts 786 occupations into four relative categories: low, moderate, high and very high. Computer Network Support Specialists are in the very high category, alongside 198 other occupations. The categories combine five public measures of where AI could be or already is used, and they compare occupations with each other rather than giving an absolute risk.

**What parts of a computer network support specialist's job can AI do?**

In O\*NET's description of the work, the parts that overlap most with what AI handles well are working with computers, processing information and email. The parts that hold up best are face-to-face discussions, establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships and making decisions and solving problems. These come from O\*NET ratings of how important each activity is to the job, read through NueCareer's AI-resilience method.

**Is being a computer network support specialist a safe career from AI?**

On NueCareer's AI-resilience score, built from O\*NET work activities, computer network support specialists score 28 out of 100, higher than 20% of the occupations we score. The job pays a median of $76,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No job is fully safe from technological change, but the federal exposure category and the projected openings are the two numbers worth weighing.

**What careers similar to computer network support specialists are less exposed to AI?**

Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer, Except Line Installers (high exposure, $63,890 median). Each is in a lower BLS exposure category than computer network support specialists, and most are listed by O\*NET as related to the work.

Full profile: https://nuecareer.com/careers/computer-network-support-specialist.

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This bank includes information from the O\*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. NueCareer has transformed the data by joining it to BLS wage and projection data and deriving facet, personality-fit and AI-resilience scores. BLS and BEA data are public domain (17 U.S.C. §105).

O\*NET content is used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). How these figures are sourced and derived: https://nuecareer.com/careers/methodology