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AI exposure Healthcare support

Will AI replace veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers?

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers. US occupation 31-9096.

1.8%

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

Ranked 326 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 56% of them.Further along than 56% of them.

Average US job 7.7%

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

What AI already does for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakersWhat veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers no longer do alone

O*NET lists 28 tasks for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers. 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. Write reports, maintain research information, or perform clerical duties.Core task mostly automated 0.97

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

27 of the 28 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Administer medication, immunizations, or blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.Core task
  • Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.Core task
  • Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.Core task
  • Clean, maintain, and sterilize instruments or equipment.Core task
  • Collect laboratory specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, for testing.Core task
  • Dust, spray, or bathe animals to control insect pests.Core task
Show the other 21
  • Educate or advise clients on animal health care, nutrition, or behavior problems.Core task
  • Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.Core task
  • Exercise animals or provide them with companionship.Core task
  • Fill medication prescriptions.Core task
  • Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.Core task
  • Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.Core task
  • Perform accounting duties, such as bookkeeping, billing customers for services, or maintaining inventories.Core task
  • Perform enemas, catheterizations, ear flushes, intravenous feedings, or gavages.Core task
  • Perform hygiene-related duties, such as clipping animals' claws or cleaning and polishing teeth.Core task
  • Perform office reception duties, such as scheduling appointments or helping customers.Core task
  • Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.Core task
  • Place orders to restock inventory of hospital or laboratory supplies.Core task
  • Prepare examination or treatment rooms by stocking them with appropriate supplies.Core task
  • Prepare feed for animals according to specific instructions, such as diet lists or schedules.Core task
  • Prepare surgical equipment and pass instruments or materials to veterinarians during surgical procedures.Core task
  • Provide assistance with euthanasia of animals or disposal of corpses.Core task
  • Provide emergency first aid to sick or injured animals.Core task
  • Record information relating to animal genealogy, feeding schedules, appearance, behavior, or breeding.Core task
  • Sell pet food or supplies to customers.Core task
  • Administer anesthetics during surgery and monitor the effects on animals.
  • Groom, trim, or clip animals' coats.

How that compares

Among the 16 healthcare support occupations, veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers rank 5. The group averages 4.9%, and its most exposed job is Medical Transcriptionists at 63.7%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Just above in the ranking

  1. 322Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 2.0%
  2. 325Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 1.9%
  3. 326Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary 1.8%

Just below

  1. 328Audio and Video Technicians 1.7%
  2. 328Cargo and Freight Agents 1.7%
  3. 328Physical Therapists 1.7%

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.