AI job risk in Iceland
Across 430 occupations covering about 121,760 workers, Iceland's labour market carries a elevated average exposure to generative AI of 6.1 on a 0–10 scale, weighted by how many people each occupation employs. Every score maps an occupation onto the ILO and OpenAI research indices, so a higher number means more of the role's day-to-day tasks can already be performed or assisted by AI.
The most exposed roles are Accounting and Bookkeeping Clerk, Statistical, Finance and Insurance Clerk, Typist and Word Processing Operator — jobs built around routine information work that large language models handle well. The least exposed include Craft and Related Workers Not Elsewhere Classified, Manufacturing Labourer Not Elsewhere Classified, Kitchen Helper, where physical, in-person or hands-on tasks dominate. By industry, Business, Finance & Legal, IT & Digital sit toward the top of the range. Exposure is not the same as job loss: it flags where AI is most likely to reshape tasks first, and where workers may want to build complementary skills.
20 jobs most exposed to AI in Iceland
| # | Occupation | Code | Exposure | Average annual pay | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accounting and Bookkeeping Clerk | 4311 | 10/10 | kr10,812,000 | 410 |
| 2 | Statistical, Finance and Insurance Clerk | 4312 | 10/10 | kr10,812,000 | 180 |
| 3 | Typist and Word Processing Operator | 4131 | 10/10 | — | — |
| 4 | Health Services Manager | 1342 | 9/10 | kr14,718,955 | 3,140 |
| 5 | Financial Analyst | 2413 | 9/10 | kr13,454,489 | 2,410 |
| 6 | Advertising and Marketing Professionals | 2431 | 9/10 | kr13,104,152 | 2,360 |
| 7 | Financial and Investment Adviser | 2412 | 9/10 | kr13,720,051 | 2,340 |
| 8 | General Office Clerks | 4110 | 9/10 | kr8,988,000 | 1,030 |
| 9 | Survey and Market Research Interviewer | 4227 | 9/10 | kr8,988,000 | 1,030 |
| 10 | Personnel Clerk | 4416 | 9/10 | kr8,988,000 | 1,030 |
| 11 | Clerical Support Workers Not Elsewhere Classified | 4419 | 9/10 | kr8,988,000 | 1,030 |
| 12 | Contact Centre Information Clerk | 4222 | 9/10 | kr9,432,000 | 790 |
| 13 | Receptionist (General) | 4226 | 9/10 | kr9,432,000 | 790 |
| 14 | Inquiry Clerk | 4225 | 9/10 | kr9,432,000 | 790 |
| 15 | Credit and Loans Officer | 3312 | 9/10 | kr11,112,000 | 720 |
| 16 | Payroll Clerk | 4313 | 9/10 | kr10,812,000 | 410 |
| 17 | Author and Related Writer | 2641 | 9/10 | kr11,112,000 | 330 |
| 18 | Journalist | 2642 | 9/10 | kr11,112,000 | 330 |
| 19 | Administrative and Executive Secretaries | 3343 | 9/10 | kr10,370,709 | 310 |
| 20 | Mathematician, Actuary and Statistician | 2120 | 9/10 | kr14,172,000 | 260 |
20 jobs least exposed to AI in Iceland
| # | Occupation | Code | Exposure | Average annual pay | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craft and Related Workers Not Elsewhere Classified | 7549 | 0/10 | — | — |
| 2 | Manufacturing Labourer Not Elsewhere Classified | 9329 | 1/10 | kr8,061,600 | 1,400 |
| 3 | Kitchen Helper | 9412 | 1/10 | kr7,860,000 | 1,280 |
| 4 | Fast Food Preparer | 9411 | 1/10 | kr9,852,000 | 1,100 |
| 5 | Earthmoving and Related Plant Operator | 8342 | 1/10 | kr13,212,000 | 260 |
| 6 | Concrete Placer and Finisher | 7114 | 1/10 | kr13,800,000 | 240 |
| 7 | Building Construction Labourer | 9313 | 1/10 | kr10,344,000 | 170 |
| 8 | Lifting Truck Operator | 8344 | 1/10 | kr9,756,000 | 160 |
| 9 | Butcher, Fishmonger and Related Food Preparer | 7511 | 1/10 | kr10,308,000 | 130 |
| 10 | Hand Launderer and Presser | 9121 | 1/10 | kr7,392,000 | 40 |
| 11 | Fishery and Aquaculture Labourer | 9216 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 12 | Domestic Cleaner and Helper | 9111 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 13 | Window Cleaner | 9123 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 14 | Bricklayer | 7112 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 15 | Stonemason | 7113 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 16 | Floor Layer and Tile Setter | 7122 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 17 | Plasterer | 7123 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 18 | Painters and Related Workers | 7131 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 19 | Spray Painter and Varnisher | 7132 | 1/10 | — | — |
| 20 | Sheet Metal Worker | 7213 | 1/10 | — | — |
AI exposure by industry
| Industry | Occupations | Employed | Avg. exposure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business, Finance & Legal | 53 | 33,900 | 8/10 |
| IT & Digital | 18 | 990 | 7/10 |
| Government & Public Sector | 23 | 11,280 | 7/10 |
| Engineering & Infrastructure | 32 | 5,760 | 6/10 |
| Creative, Media & Personal Services | 38 | 5,500 | 6/10 |
| Healthcare & Care | 38 | 20,600 | 6/10 |
| Education & Community | 24 | 21,240 | 6/10 |
| Transport, Logistics & Mining | 33 | 3,210 | 5/10 |
| Hospitality, Retail & Tourism | 44 | 11,140 | 4/10 |
| Agriculture & Environment | 42 | 2,040 | 4/10 |
| Trades & Construction | 85 | 6,100 | 2/10 |
Explore more
Frequently asked questions
How much AI risk do jobs in Iceland face?
Across 430 occupations covering about 121,760 workers, Iceland has an employment-weighted average generative-AI exposure of 6.1 on a 0–10 scale — an elevated level. A higher score means a larger share of a role's day-to-day tasks can already be performed or assisted by AI.
Which jobs in Iceland are most at risk from AI?
The most exposed occupations in Iceland are Accounting and Bookkeeping Clerk, Statistical, Finance and Insurance Clerk, Typist and Word Processing Operator, Health Services Manager, Financial Analyst. These are roles built around routine information work — writing, data handling and analysis — that large language models already handle well.
Which jobs in Iceland are least exposed to AI?
The least exposed occupations include Craft and Related Workers Not Elsewhere Classified, Manufacturing Labourer Not Elsewhere Classified, Kitchen Helper. Physical, hands-on and in-person tasks are much harder for current AI to automate, so these roles score low.
Does a high AI exposure score mean the job will be lost?
No. Exposure measures how much of a role's tasks AI can perform or assist with — not whether the job will disappear. A high score flags where AI is most likely to reshape tasks first, and where workers may benefit from building complementary skills.
Which industries in Iceland are most exposed to AI?
By employment-weighted average exposure, the most exposed industries in Iceland are Business, Finance & Legal, IT & Digital, Government & Public Sector.
How is the AI exposure score calculated?
Every occupation is scored 0–10 by combining two published research datasets — the ILO's Working Paper 140 index and OpenAI's ‘GPTs are GPTs’ task-exposure study — mapped onto Iceland's official occupation classification and ranked on a single global percentile scale so scores stay comparable between countries.
Data sources & authority for Iceland
Employment (tile area) for Iceland comes from Statistics Iceland, classified in ÍSTARF95 (ISCO-88) → ISCO-08. These are official national statistics — the highest-authority source for the country’s labour market. Pay is official occupation-level earnings from the same source, shown where the source publishes it. The AI-exposure score itself is identical in method for every country: the ILO Working Paper 140 index and OpenAI’s GPTs are GPTs study, ranked on a single global percentile scale. Full methodology & all-country data sources →
Download / share this map
