University Teaching Assistants
Official O*NET title: Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary (25-9044.00)
Also called: graduate assistant, graduate fellow, graduate research assistant, graduate student, graduate student instructor
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Develop teaching materials
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing university teaching assistants work
5 of 13 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Amber (some AI use) — 38%.
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
- Develop teaching materials (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Teach undergraduate-level courses (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Prepare or proctor examinations (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Return assignments to students following established deadlines (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Meet with supervisors to discuss students' grades or to complete required grade-related paperwork (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Schedule and maintain regular office hours to meet with students (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Order or obtain materials needed for classes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Copy and distribute classroom materials (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Notify instructors of errors or problems with assignments (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide instructors with assistance in the use of audiovisual equipment — some recorded AI use
- Provide assistance to faculty members or staff with laboratory or field research — some recorded AI use
- Complete laboratory projects before assigning them to students so that any needed modifications can be made — no recorded AI use
- Demonstrate use of laboratory equipment and enforce laboratory rules — no recorded AI use
- Attend lectures given by the supervising instructor — no recorded AI use
- Arrange for supervisors to conduct teaching observations and provide feedback about teaching performance — no recorded AI use
- Assist faculty members or staff with student conferences — 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: “Develop teaching materials”. Try the prompt for: “Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades”.
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 university teaching assistants
Will AI replace university teaching assistants?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 5 of the 13 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Amber rating (some AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 13 of the 20 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which teaching assistant tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: develop teaching materials; evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades; teach undergraduate-level courses.
Which teaching assistant tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections; inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work; tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction. 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 72% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a teaching assistant 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
University Teaching Assistants ranks #206 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #57 of 63 in Education.
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