Private Detectives and Investigators
Protective Service Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 33-9021.00
Gather, analyze, compile, and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.39
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 6 hidden tasks17 rated tasks · 11 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (64.7%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 3 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.O*NET Task ID 13095 | 1.0 |
Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.O*NET Task ID 13096 | 0.5 |
Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.O*NET Task ID 13097 | 0.5 |
Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.O*NET Task ID 13099 | 0.5 |
Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.O*NET Task ID 13101 | 0.5 |
Observe and document activities of individuals to detect unlawful acts or to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video cameras.O*NET Task ID 13102 | 0.5 |
Alert appropriate personnel to suspects' locations.O*NET Task ID 13103 | 0.5 |
Investigate companies' financial standings, or locate funds stolen by embezzlers, using accounting skills.O*NET Task ID 13105 | 0.5 |
Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.O*NET Task ID 13106 | 0.5 |
Count cash and review transactions, sales checks, or register tapes to verify amounts or to identify shortages.O*NET Task ID 13109 | 0.5 |
Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history.O*NET Task ID 20758 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (14)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Write reports or case summaries to document investigations. | Core |
| Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations. | Core |
| Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases. | Core |
| Conduct private investigations on a paid basis. | Core |
| Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence. | Core |
| Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status. | Core |
| Observe and document activities of individuals to detect unlawful acts or to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video cameras. | Core |
| Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds. | Core |
| Confer with establishment officials, security departments, police, or postal officials to identify problems, provide information, or receive instructions. | Core |
| Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history. | Core |
| Alert appropriate personnel to suspects' locations. | Supplemental |
| Perform undercover operations, such as evaluating the performance or honesty of employees by posing as customers or employees. | Supplemental |
| Investigate companies' financial standings, or locate funds stolen by embezzlers, using accounting skills. | Supplemental |
| Count cash and review transactions, sales checks, or register tapes to verify amounts or to identify shortages. | Supplemental |
0.02/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Conduct private investigations on a paid basis. | E0 none |
| Observe and document activities of individuals to detect unlawful acts or to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video cameras. | E0 none |
| Count cash and review transactions, sales checks, or register tapes to verify amounts or to identify shortages. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 40K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 42K
- Change (2025–35)
- +5.5%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $51,220
- Typical education needed for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41299 | 그 외 경호 및 보안 관련 종사원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 3411Legal and Related Associate Professionals
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Legal and related associate professionals perform support functions in courts of law or in law offices, provide services related to such legal matters as insurance contracts, the transferring of property and the granting of loans and other financial transactions or conduct investigations for clients.
Tasks
- (a) documenting court proceedings and judgements;
- (b) serving statements of claims, summonses, warrants, subpoenas and other court orders;
- (c) maintaining order in court and hearing rooms;
- (d) preparing legal documents including trial briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills and contracts and preparing, papers summarizing legal positions or setting out conditions of loans or insurance;
- (e) investigating facts, assembling evidence and researching relevant statutes, decisions and other legal documents to prepare cases;
- (f) advising clients on legal matters;
- (g) examining documentation such as mortgages, liens, judgements, easements, contracts and maps in order to verify properties’ legal descriptions and ownership;
- (h) preparing documents relating to transfer of real estate, stocks or other matters requiring formal registration;
- (i) investigating possible cases of theft of goods, money or information from business establishments and of other possible cases of unlawful behaviour by customers or employees;
- (j) investigating establishments or the circumstances and behaviour of persons on behalf of clients.
Example occupations
Bailiff · Conveyancing clerk · Court clerk · Judge’s clerk · Justice of the peace · Law clerk · Legal assistant · Paralegal · Private detective · Title searcher
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- private detectiveESCO 3411.8Same scope
Private detectives research and analyse information to uncover facts for personal, corporate or legal reasons, depending on their clients. They conduct surveillance activities, which includes taking photos, doing background checks and interviewing individuals. Private detectives may help in criminal and civil cases, child custody, financial fraud, on-line harassment and may search for missing people. They compile all the information into a file and hand it to their clients for further action.
- police detectiveESCO 3355.2This occupation is broader
Police detectives gather and compile evidence which assists them in the solution of crimes. They use investigative techniques to gather evidence, and interview all parties connected to their line of enquiry, and cooperate with other police department divisions to gather the evidence.
- store detectiveESCO 3411.8.1This occupation is broader
Store detectives monitor the activities in the store in order to prevent and detect shoplifting. Once the individual is caught red-handed, they take all the legal measures, including announcing the police.
- criminal investigatorESCO 3355.1Overlapping, not the same
Criminal investigators examine and process the scenes of crimes and the evidence found in them. They handle and protect the evidence compliant with rules and regulations, and isolate the scene from outside influence. They photograph the scene, ensure the maintenance of the evidence, and write reports.
- intelligence officerESCO 2422.7Overlapping, not the same
Intelligence officers develop and execute plans to gather information and intelligence. They investigate the lines of enquiry which would provide them with the necessary intelligence, and contact and interview people who may provide intelligence. They write reports on their results, and perform administrative duties to ensure records maintenance.
- police officerESCO 5412.1Overlapping, not the same
Police officers use investigation methods to prevent crime, to pursue and apprehend criminals, and protect the public from violent and criminal activities. They perform surveillance and patrol activities to prevent crimes and apprehend offenders. They provide support to victimised parties and the public at large, and fulfil administrative duties.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| K2505 | Enquêteur privé / Enquêtrice privée | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| K2503 | Agent / Agente de prévention et de sécurité | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 3712 | Detectives privados | Same scope |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 53152 | Detektive/Detektivinnen - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Same scope |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 249 | 他に分類されない専門的職業従事者 | This occupation is narrower |
| 453 | 警備員 | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources