Will AI replace network support specialists?

Much of the work, but not all of it. AI could take on about 64% of the working time in a typical network support specialist job today. The other 36% still needs a person.

36% of the work still needs a person.

Needs a person: 36%A person checking AI: 24%AI alone: 40%

The bracket under the bar is the evidence range for the share AI could take on: 57 to 64%. One end comes from how well AI did each responsibility in real use, or a second rating where that isn't measured. The other is our figure, which also follows research across the industry.

26 responsibilities in a typical network support specialist job. Median pay $76,220 a year in the U.S. (BLS, May 2025).

Still needs a person

  • Maintain and repair network equipment
  • Answer network support calls AI helps
  • Test repaired gear before reuse AI helps
  • Install or repair network cables
  • Test computer hardware and software AI helps
  • Train users on network software AI helps

AI can do or help with

  • Document network support activities AI can do it
  • Answer network support calls AI helps
  • Configure security permissions and access AI helps
  • Diagnose the cause of network problems AI helps
  • Back up network data AI can do it
  • Analyze network usage and capacity AI helps

The biggest responsibilities on each side, ranked by a person's time on the left. "AI helps" means AI takes on part of the work, or most of it with a person checking what it produces, so one can show on both sides. See all 26, with the reason for each and the cost of handing them to AI.

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Questions people ask

Will AI replace network support specialists?

Much of the work, but not all of it. AI could take on about 64% of the working time in a typical network support specialist job today. The other 36% still needs a person. That is a split of the work, not a forecast of jobs lost.

Which parts of the job can AI do?

The biggest ones AI can do or help with: document network support activities, answer network support calls, configure security permissions and access, diagnose the cause of network problems, back up network data, analyze network usage and capacity.

Which parts still need a person?

The biggest ones: maintain and repair network equipment, answer network support calls, test repaired gear before reuse, install or repair network cables, test computer hardware and software, train users on network software.

How is this measured?

The U.S. Department of Labor lists 26 responsibilities for this job (O*NET 31.0). Each is scored on 4 questions: can AI do it, does it get it right, must a person sign for it, and do people need to deal with a real person. The split is weighted by how much of the job each responsibility takes up. The evidence range for the share AI could take on is 57 to 64%. One end comes from how well AI did each responsibility in real use, or a second rating where that isn't measured. The other is our figure, which also follows research across the industry. Scores version 0.7.16, updated October 27, 2026.

Responsibilities from O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor). Pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025. Scores are calibrated to published research and updated every month. How it works.

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