How over is it?

A mood ring wired to real instruments

AI exposure Healthcare practitioners and technical

Will AI replace surgical technologists?

Surgical Technologists. US occupation 29-2055.

0.0%

of the time surgical technologists spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of surgical technologists' 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 surgical technologistsWhat surgical technologists no longer do alone

O*NET lists 16 tasks for surgical technologists. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

16 of the 16 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.Core task
  • Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.Core task
  • Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.Core task
  • Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.Core task
  • Maintain supply of fluids, such as plasma, saline, blood, or glucose, for use during operations.Core task
  • Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.Core task
Show the other 10
  • Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.Core task
  • Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.Core task
  • Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.Core task
  • Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.Core task
  • Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.Core task
  • Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.Core task
  • Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.Core task
  • Maintain files and records of surgical procedures.
  • Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition.
  • Order surgical supplies.

How that compares

Among the 65 healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, surgical technologists rank 64. The group averages 4.1%, and its most exposed job is Medical Records Specialists at 66.7%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters 0.0%
  2. 346Subway and Streetcar Operators 0.0%
  3. 346Surgical Assistants 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.