UK AI JobsExpected · in use · happened
UK AI Jobs/Managerial/Advertising media planner
Grows with AI

Advertising media planner

39.4K UK workers · typical pay £34,000 · entry route Bachelor's degree (Level 6). Projected growth of +15% to 2035.

How AI is actually used here · measured · Anthropic Economic Index
54%
Augmentation
AI mostly assists
13.2×
Time compression
~8h → ~37min
2.99/5
AI autonomy
how hands-off it runs
46%
Automation
of measured usage
How the collaboration splits · the six measured modes
task iteration 44.8%directive 35.5%feedback loop 8.6%learning 6.4%unclassified 3.2%validation 1.5%
What people make with AI here
document / report17%app / website13%image / graphic12%

Real Claude.ai usage mapped to this occupation's SOC group, Apr+May 2026, CC-BY. Claude users only; task times model-estimated; augment/automate is how AI is used, not a count of jobs lost. Method →

Facts · ONS + NCS
UK workers (2024)
39.4K
Median pay
£34.0K
Our scored call · a labelled hypothesis, not a measurement
AI exposure
8 / 10
Elasticity
8.5 / 10
2035 outlook
+15%
Exposure · 8/10
Why AI can do the work

The core tasks of data analysis, media plan creation, and campaign monitoring are fundamentally digital and increasingly automated by AI-driven programmatic advertising platforms. While client relationship management and creative strategy provide some protection, the shift toward AI-optimised media buying and predictive analytics significantly reduces the manual workload for traditional planners.

Elasticity · 8.5/10
Whether demand expands when it gets cheaper

Lower costs allow brands to test thousands of micro-targeted audience segments and niche channels that were previously ROI-negative due to planning overhead.

Trajectory to 2035

Headcount grows +15%, a Jevons-pattern curve.

Adoption scenario
×1.00 · Consensus

Change the scenario in the nav to reshape this curve.

Headcount projection · 2024 → 2035
Baseline 39.4K workers (2024) · % change vs baseline
Peak 2027 +16%2035 +15%
Peak 20272024202620282030203220342035-8%+0%+19%+15%
Peak headcount
2027
+16% vs 2024
2035 endpoint
+15%
45.4K workers
Time to −10%
Never crosses in model
Total wage pool
£1.3B
pay × jobs
Where this role lives

UK employment share by region, SOC-joined to 3554.

London
59.1K · 27.1%
South East
41.7K · 19.1%
North West
22.9K · 10.5%
East
15.5K · 7.1%
Scotland
15.3K · 7%
South West
14.2K · 6.5%
West Midlands
13.7K · 6.3%
Yorkshire and The Humber
12.5K · 5.7%
Gender split

Majority-female role (66.2% women).

130.3K women · 66%66.5K men · 34%
slug: advertising-media-planner · dataset 2026.03 · CC-BY-4.0