A recent study reveals that 74% of physical labor in the United States could potentially be performed by robots. This category of work represents 34% of all hours worked within the economy, according to researchers from Anthropic who examined approximately 19,000 job tasks. Occupations at the highest risk include drivers and warehouse packers, with nine out of the ten most vulnerable jobs involving vehicle operation. Typically, these at-risk workers are men who do not hold college degrees and earn about $30 less per hour compared to those in roles that robots are not yet capable of fulfilling. Conversely, professions such as nursing, social work, and childcare are relatively safe, as robots continue to struggle with tasks that require nuanced interpersonal skills and fine motor control. Currently, however, robots are not cost-effective for widespread use, being competitive for only 0.3% of tasks. To achieve automation for 10% of jobs, costs would need to decrease by approximately 70%, a process that, at the current rate of advancement, could take around 40 years.
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