How over is it?

A mood ring wired to real instruments

AI exposure Production

Will AI replace butchers and meat cutters?

Butchers and Meat Cutters. US occupation 51-3021.

0.0%

of the time butchers and meat cutters spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of butchers and meat cutters' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.

Ranked 346 of 756 US occupations. No AI use seen in the work yet, along with 410 other occupations.No handover started yet, along with 410 other occupations.

Average US job 7.7%

Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.

What AI already does for butchers and meat cuttersWhat butchers and meat cutters no longer do alone

O*NET lists 11 tasks for butchers and meat cutters. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

11 of the 11 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare in cooking form.Core task
  • Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.Core task
  • Prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter to appear attractive and catch the shopper's eye.Core task
  • Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.Core task
  • Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery to ensure meat quality.Core task
  • Shape, lace, and tie roasts, using boning knife, skewer, and twine.Core task
Show the other 5
  • Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.Core task
  • Cure, smoke, tenderize, and preserve meat.
  • Negotiate with representatives from supply companies to determine order details.
  • Record quantity of meat received and issued to cooks or keep records of meat sales.
  • Supervise other butchers or meat cutters.

How that compares

Among the 98 production occupations, butchers and meat cutters rank 21. The group averages 0.8%, and its most exposed job is Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers at 12.1%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists 0.0%
  2. 346Bus Drivers, School 0.0%
  3. 346Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity 0.0%

What this does and does not mean

Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.

A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.

Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.