Sport and exercise psychologist

15.5K UK workers · typical pay £36,500 · entry route Postgraduate degree (Level 7+). Projected growth of +6% to 2035.

How AI is actually used here · measured · Anthropic Economic Index

Thin signal. Only 34% of the Claude usage mapped to this job is actual work. The rest is personal or study use of the same skills. Read the figures below as indicative, not precise.

68%

Augmentation

AI mostly assists

4.9×

Time compression

~4.1h → ~51min

2.84/5

AI autonomy

how hands-off it runs

33%

Automation

of measured usage

How the collaboration splits · the six measured modes

learning 35.8%task iteration 24.2%directive 21%feedback loop 10.4%validation 5.2%unclassified 3.4%

What people make with AI here

explanation / answer28%advice / recommendation20%document / report12%

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)

15.5K

Median pay

£36.5K

Our scored call · a labelled hypothesis, not a measurement

AI exposure

4 / 10

Elasticity

7.5 / 10

2035 outlook

+6%

Exposure · 4/10

Why AI can do the work

While AI can assist with data-driven fitness plans and performance analysis, the core of the role relies on high-level interpersonal skills, active listening, and emotional support in physical environments like sports fields or health centres. The requirement for HCPC registration and the focus on human-to-human motivation and sensitivity provides a significant barrier to full AI automation.

Elasticity · 7.5/10

Whether demand expands when it gets cheaper

Lower costs would shift the service from an elite luxury for pro athletes to a mass-market preventative mental health and performance tool for the general population.

Trajectory to 2035