Historians
Official O*NET title: Historians (19-3093.00)
Also called: collections specialist, county historian, historian, historic architectural resources curator, historic interpreter
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing historians work
14 of 16 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Red (lots of AI use) — 88%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Recommend actions related to historical art (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Trace historical development in a particular field (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to make sure their historical accuracy (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Speak to various groups, organizations, and clubs to promote the aims and activities of historical societies (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Interview people to gather information about historical events and to record oral histories (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, museums, and other research agencies and schools — a lot of recorded AI use
- Translate or request translation of reference materials — some recorded AI use
- Collect detailed information on individuals for use in biographies — some recorded AI use
- Edit historical society publications — some recorded AI use
- Coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination”. Try the prompt for: “Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and historians
Will AI replace historians?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 14 of the 16 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Red rating (lots of AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 3 of the 21 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which historian tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination; advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period; gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
Which historian tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts; interview people to gather information about historical events and to record oral histories; coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 100% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a historian start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Historians ranks #6 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #2 of 45 in Science & Research. It’s in our top 50 jobs most changed by AI.
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