Which jobs can robots do?

On September 30, 2026 Anthropic published a rating of every physical task in O*NET: for each, the kind of setting in which a robot it could cite (deployed, sold or demonstrated) does most of the work, from a cell built for the machine to any setting at all. Weighted by time, that gives each job a from 0 to 3. Here are the jobs it rates highest, and every sector, with the robot behind each job's leading rated task. About 28M people work in jobs with an index of 1 or more.

Anthropic's rating, not this site's estimate (What work can robots do?, CC BY 4.0). A robot shown somewhere is not a robot in a given workplace: cost, setup and safety decide that, and this site's share within reach still counts no body work. Every job's index is in the jobs table and the open data.

The 40 jobs rated highest

Job	Index	Time a robot is shown doing	Mostly in	For example
Taxi Drivers41K people	2.22	89%	any setting	Waymo Driver (Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi fleet)Perform minor vehicle repairs, such as cleaning spark plugs, or take vehicles to mechanics for servicing
Agricultural Equipment Operators29K people	2.13	93%	any setting	John Deere Autonomy Kit (2nd gen) on 8R/9RX tractorsOperate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment
Light Truck Drivers983K people	2.10	82%	any setting	Waymo Driver (Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi) on DoorDashObey traffic laws
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs249K people	1.97	71%	any setting	Waymo Driver / Waymo One robotaxiDrive to the traffic laws
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators774K people	1.96	100%	structured facility	Fox Robotics FoxBot autonomous trailer loader/unloader (ATL)Load and unload materials
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators42K people	1.85	80%	any setting	XCMG unmanned paving and compaction fleet (BeiDou-guided pavers and tandem rollers)Operate machines to spread, smooth, level, or steel-reinforce stone, concrete, or asphalt on road beds
Shampooers8,070 people	1.85	95%	structured facility	EAIN AI-powered hair-washing machine (Shenzhen EAIN Technology)Massage, shampoo, and condition patron's hair and scalp to clean them and remove excess oil
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors147K people	1.80	90%	structured facility	Westwell Q-Truck autonomous electric heavy truckDrive the collection route
Driver/Sales Workers409K people	1.75	75%	any setting	Waymo Driver (Jaguar I-Pace) on DoorDash Autonomous Delivery PlatformDrive the delivery route
Dredge Operators1,040 people	1.69	84%	structured facility	Royal IHC Dredging Control System / Automatic Cutter Controller (ACC)Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads
Recycling and Reclamation Workers	1.68	92%	structured facility	FoxBot Mk3 autonomous trailer loader/unloader (ATL)Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts, or front-end loaders to load bales, bundles, or other heavy items onto trucks for shipping to smelters or other recycled materials processing facilities
Meter Readers, Utilities19K people	1.67	87%	structured facility	Spot (Boston Dynamics) with Spot CAM+IR and Enhanced Autonomy PayloadWalk or drive vehicles along established routes to take readings of meter dials
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining34K people	1.61	84%	structured facility	Sandvik AutoMine AutoLoad 2.0Move levers, depress foot pedals, and turn dials to operate power machinery, such as power shovels, stripping shovels, scraper loaders, or backhoes
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators478K people	1.60	84%	structured facility	Cat MineStar Command for dozing / Semi-Autonomous Tractor System (SATS) (Caterpillar with Thiess and Hastings Deering)Grade and level ground with bladed equipment
Tapers13K people	1.59	73%	any setting	Canvas 1200CX drywall finishing robotApply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants102K people	1.57	87%	structured facility	Ice Cobotics Cobi 18Clean the premises
Hoist and Winch Operators2,600 people	1.54	84%	structured facility	Konecranes automated overhead cranes (metals production)Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity159K people	1.54	79%	structured facility	Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK / flowride.ai (line 533, DAM Shuttles) (ADASTEC / Karsan / DAM Shuttles)Drive the route
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers2.1M people	1.51	78%	structured facility	Gatik Autonomous Delivery Network (26- and 30-ft box trucks)Drive heavy trucks
Motorboat Operators2,480 people	1.49	63%	any setting	MF Estelle (Zeabuz ZeaMaster autonomy / Zeam service)Oversee operation of vessels used for carrying passengers, motor vehicles, or goods across rivers, harbors, lakes, and coastal waters
Couriers and Messengers69K people	1.49	86%	structured facility	Aethon TUG (ST Engineering Aethon)Deliver and pick up medical records, lab specimens, and medications to and from hospitals and other medical facilities
Dishwashers477K people	1.49	100%	purpose-built cell	Armstrong dishwashing robotWash dishes, pots and pans
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand3.0M people	1.46	89%	structured facility	Fox Robotics FoxBot autonomous forkliftMove freight and stock
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation27K people	1.45	89%	structured facility	Turf Tank Two autonomous line-marking robotLift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas
Subway and Streetcar Operators10K people	1.42	71%	structured facility	Skyline (Honolulu rail transit), Hitachi Rail GoA4 automated metroDrive and control rail-guided public transportation, such as subways, elevated trains, and electric-powered streetcars, trams, or trolleys, to transport passengers
Brickmasons and Blockmasons53K people	1.42	86%	purpose-built cell	Monumental bricklaying robots (Atrium software)Construct corners by fastening in plumb position a corner pole or building a corner pyramid of bricks, and filling in between the corners using a line from corner to corner to guide each course, or layer, of brick
Packers and Packagers, Hand560K people	1.42	97%	purpose-built cell	CVP Everest (Sparck Technologies / Packsize)Assemble and pad cartons
Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders22K people	1.40	94%	purpose-built cell	Saurer AutoCreeler, Robot AGV, twist package transportTend machines that twist together two or more strands of yarn or insert additional twists into single strands of yarn to increase strength, smoothness, or uniformity of yarn
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders20K people	1.40	85%	structured facility	Mecatherm oven/gantry pan line with ABI Katana robotic scoring and Mecatherm multi-tool depannerOperate or tend equipment that roasts, bakes, dries, or cures food items such as cocoa and coffee beans, grains, nuts, and bakery products
Machine Feeders and Offbearers42K people	1.39	96%	purpose-built cell	Avidbots NeoClean and maintain machinery, equipment, and work areas to ensure proper functioning and safe working conditions
Highway Maintenance Workers155K people	1.38	79%	structured facility	Yeti Move autonomy on Øveraasen RS 600 runway sweeper/plow machinesDrive sweepers, mowers and plows
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders17K people	1.37	88%	structured facility	ARMS (Automated Robotic Melt Shop) (Inductotherm Corp.)Draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis, and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners8,950 people	1.37	78%	structured facility	Viper Keno Lottery Machine (Smartplay International)Conduct gambling tables or games, such as dice, roulette, cards, or keno, and ensure that game rules are followed
Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers22K people	1.37	75%	structured facility	LiveCage (Passport Technology)Count money and audit money drawers
Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers2,760 people	1.36	68%	structured facility	Serve Robotics third-generation sidewalk delivery robotCirculate among potential customers or travel by foot, truck, automobile, or bicycle to deliver or sell merchandise or services
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders26K people	1.36	88%	structured facility	ANYmal (D) with visual/thermal/acoustic/gas payload (ANYbotics)Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders59K people	1.35	89%	structured facility	Sikora Centerwave 6000 / ECOCONTROL with SET POINT moduleAdjust machine components to regulate speeds, pressures, and temperatures, and amounts, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients
Semiconductor Processing Technicians31K people	1.35	75%	structured facility	Daifuku Cleanway AMHS (OHT / clean stocker)Etch, lap, polish, or grind wafers or ingots to form circuitry and change conductive properties, using etching, lapping, polishing, or grinding equipment
Biomass Plant Technicians	1.34	72%	structured facility	Valmet DNA Combustion Manager (advanced process control in Valmet DNA DCS)Operate biomass fuel-burning boiler or biomass fuel gasification system equipment in accordance with specifications or instructions
Pourers and Casters, Metal4,560 people	1.31	95%	purpose-built cell	Inductotherm ARMS (Automated Robotic Melt Shop)Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles

Every sector

Weighted by the people in each occupation the sector employs.