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Will AI replace Food Preparation and Serving Related jobs?

16 jobs scored. On average 82% of the task time in these jobs still needs a person, and the family averages 81 out of 100 on Still needs a human, where higher is safer.

81
Average Still needs a human score, 0 to 100 ↑ safer. Will AI replace them? Nah.
16
Jobs scored in this family
82%
Average share of task time that still needs a person
17.4M
US workers in these jobs

How Food Preparation and Serving Related work could shift

The share of US workers in these jobs whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.

Today
66%
of US workers in this family are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
7%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
31% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
7%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
88% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)

Each job's score moves towards the bottom band (Largely: AI could largely do the job) by the year it could be largely automated, slowly at first and faster later, as adoption usually goes. Each job is run as ten scenarios across its replacement range, so every figure mixes early and late outcomes. The model stops at 2060. How the timeline works

Share of US workers in this family in each verdict band, today to 20600%25%50%75%100%2026: 66.3% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)66%2026: 33.7% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)34%Today2030: 24.8% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)25%2030: 75.2% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)75%20302035: 7.0% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)7%2035: 57.5% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)58%2035: 35.5% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)36%20352040: 6.6% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)7%2040: 13.4% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)13%2040: 45.1% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)45%2040: 34.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)34%2040: 0.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)20402045: 6.6% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)7%2045: 3.7% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2045: 19.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)19%2045: 39.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)40%2045: 30.8% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)31%20452050: 6.6% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)7%2050: 3.4% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2050: 1.8% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)2050: 35.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)35%2050: 53.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)53%20502055: 6.6% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)7%2055: 3.4% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2055: 11.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)12%2055: 78.3% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)78%20552060: 6.6% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)7%2060: 3.4% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2060: 1.8% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)2060: 88.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)88%2060
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Share of US workers in this family whose job would sit in each band, year by year. Updated with every release.
Show the data
YearLargelyMostlyPartlyA littleNah
Today (2026)0.0%0.0%0.0%33.7%66.3%
20300.0%0.0%0.0%75.2%24.8%
20350.0%0.0%35.5%57.5%7.0%
20400.7%34.2%45.1%13.4%6.6%
204530.8%39.7%19.2%3.7%6.6%
205053.2%35.0%1.8%3.4%6.6%
205578.3%11.7%0.0%3.4%6.6%
206088.2%1.8%0.0%3.4%6.6%

Every Food Preparation and Serving Related job, ranked

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-1012
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 4%AI helps 50%Needs a human 46%
20492044–2060+
1.2M
$44,080
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-9031
74↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 5%AI helps 21%Needs a human 74%
20502044–2060+
433k
$31,200
Chefs and Head CooksFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-1011
76↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 5%AI helps 29%Needs a human 66%
20502044–2060+
200k
$62,470
Cooks, Private HouseholdFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-2013
78↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 18%Needs a human 82%
20532044–2060+
1k
$47,940
Waiters and WaitressesFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-3031
79↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 27%Needs a human 73%
20522044–2060+
2.3M
$35,230
Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-2012
79↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 25%Needs a human 75%
20532044–2060+
441k
$37,450
BaristasFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-3023.01
81↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 18%Needs a human 82%
20542044–2060+
3.9M
$31,200
Food Servers, NonrestaurantFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-3041
81↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 21%Needs a human 79%
20542044–2060+
294k
$35,360
Fast Food and Counter WorkersFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-3023
82↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 20%Needs a human 80%
20542044–2060+
3.9M
$31,200
Cooks, RestaurantFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-2014
83↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 2%AI helps 8%Needs a human 90%
20552044–2060+
1.4M
$37,390
BartendersFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-3011
83↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 12%Needs a human 88%
20542044–2060+
756k
$34,340
Cooks, Fast FoodFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-2011
83↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 9%Needs a human 91%
20552044–2060+
641k
$30,890
Cooks, Short OrderFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-2015
83↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 5%Needs a human 95%
20562045–2060+
139k
$35,880
Food Preparation WorkersFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-2021
85↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 3%Needs a human 97%
20562044–2060+
894k
$35,320
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-9011
86↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 0%Needs a human 100%
20572045–2060+
543k
$33,980
DishwashersFood Preparation and Serving Related · 35-9021
88↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 0%Needs a human 100%
20592045–2060+
477k
$34,810