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AI exposure Food preparation and serving

Will AI replace cooks?

Cooks, Restaurant. US occupation 35-2014.

1.2%

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

Ranked 334 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 55% of them.Further along than 55% of them.

Average US job 7.7%

Around the middle of the pack.Keeping pace with the average job.

What AI already does for cooksWhat cooks no longer do alone

O*NET lists 20 tasks for cooks. AI use at work shows up in 1 of them. Each score runs from 0.5, where every observed use helps a person with the task, to 1, where every use does the task outright.

  1. Plan and price menu items. mostly automated 0.85

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

19 of the 20 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.Core task
  • Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.Core task
  • Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.Core task
  • Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.Core task
  • Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.Core task
  • Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.Core task
Show the other 13
  • Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.Core task
  • Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.Core task
  • Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.Core task
  • Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.Core task
  • Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.Core task
  • Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.Core task
  • Wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption.Core task
  • Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.Core task
  • Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
  • Consult with supervisory staff to plan menus, taking into consideration factors such as costs and special event needs.
  • Estimate expected food consumption, requisition or purchase supplies, or procure food from storage.
  • Keep records and accounts.
  • Prepare relishes and hors d'oeuvres.

How that compares

Among the 15 food preparation and serving occupations, cooks rank 3. The group averages 0.9%, and its most exposed job is Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop at 7.3%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Just above in the ranking

  1. 332Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 1.5%
  2. 333Industrial Production Managers 1.3%
  3. 334Childcare Workers 1.2%

Just below

  1. 338Funeral Home Managers 1.1%
  2. 338Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators 1.1%
  3. 340Civil Engineers 0.8%

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.