Share and intensity of work current AI systems can materially affect.
SOC 35-9021
Dishwashers AI displacement risk
Machine dishwashing exists but handles the easy half: racks of uniform items. Pots, pans, prep equipment, and kitchen cleaning still run through human hands, and restaurants chronically cannot fill this role.
Likely potential for exposed tasks to move to software after workflow integration.
The occupation's reality is a labor shortage, not automation pressure — dish machines have existed for decades and the job persists because kitchens generate endless non-standard cleaning. It remains an entry point into kitchen careers.
Distribution
Where Dishwashers sits across 620 tracked roles
Displacement pressure 24 — higher than 32% of the 620 occupations tracked on displacement.ai.
Score version
This page uses Seed model v0.4 (seed-v0.4-2026-05), last reviewed 2026-08-15. Directional occupation-level planning model using hand-reviewed public research, task exposure estimates, wage context, and transition-pathway assumptions.
13 O*NET task statements matched to SOC 35-9021. The displayed task profile combines these official task statements with the current public score model.
Median wage context: $34,810 (May 2025, US national). The latest BLS row matched SOC 35-9021.
Scores are planning signals, not forecasts. Local hiring demand, employer-specific workflows, licensing, and credentials must be validated before making career decisions.
2030 economic stress test
How Anthropic's scenarios classify Dishwashers
SOC 35-9021 places this role in the paper's all-other occupation group. These group-level outcomes do not change the 24/100 role score and are not an occupation forecast.
+1.1% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +1.6% GDP and 3.9% unemployment.
+5.9% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +8.3% GDP and 4.6% unemployment.
+33.6% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +32.4% GDP and 11.9% unemployment.
Compare the assumptions and limitations across all three scenarios. Source: The Anthropic Institute Working Paper No. 2026-02.
Official task evidence
O*NET task matches for Dishwashers
The current evidence import matched 13 task statements from Task Statements 31.0 (August 2026). These rows are used as a grounding layer for judging which parts of the occupation are repeatable, language-heavy, analytical, social, physical, or compliance-sensitive.
Dataset31.0 (August 2026)
Matched tasks13
SOC35-9021
- Core task / ID 11186
Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
- Core task / ID 11188
Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition.
- Core task / ID 11187
Place clean dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment in storage areas.
- Core task / ID 11190
Sweep or scrub floors.
- Core task / ID 11189
Stock supplies, such as food or utensils, in serving stations, cupboards, refrigerators, or salad bars.
- Core task / ID 11193
Clean or prepare various foods for cooking or serving.
Source: O*NET Resource Center, Task Statements. Raw import target: data/raw/onet/task-statements-31-0.txt.
Task profile
Where AI changes the work
Wash dishes and kitchen equipment
Exposure 26, automation 20%, augmentation 12%.
O*NET evidence: Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand. (ID 11186)
Clean kitchen areas and floors
Exposure 24, automation 16%, augmentation 14%.
O*NET evidence: Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition. (ID 11188)
Stock and store supplies
Exposure 30, automation 18%, augmentation 26%.
O*NET evidence: Receive and store supplies. (ID 11196)
Assist with basic food preparation
Exposure 34, automation 22%, augmentation 30%.
TaskExposureAutomationAugmentation
Wash dishes and kitchen equipment2620%12%
Clean kitchen areas and floors2416%14%
Stock and store supplies3018%26%
Assist with basic food preparation3422%30%
Transition pathways
Adjacent moves that preserve existing skills
adjacent role
LowPrep Cook
Training horizon: 1-3 months. Skill overlap 70. Wage preservation signal 104.
- Learn knife skills
- Own prep lists
- Practice station sanitation
role redesign
LowKitchen Steward Supervisor
Training horizon: 1-3 months. Skill overlap 72. Wage preservation signal 116.
- Manage cleaning schedules
- Track chemical and supply inventory
- Train new stewards
Comparison guides
Compare the next move before you commit
1-3 months
Dishwashers to Prep Cook
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Dishwashers into Prep Cook.
1-3 months
Dishwashers to Kitchen Steward Supervisor
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Dishwashers into Kitchen Steward Supervisor.
What the AI risk score means for Dishwashers
The displacement pressure score for Dishwashers is 24. That score blends task exposure, automation pressure, augmentation potential, wage vulnerability, transition feasibility, and source confidence. It is designed to help workers and workforce teams decide where to act first, not to claim a specific date when a job will disappear.
For this role, the clearest risk pattern is visible at the task level. Assist with basic food preparation carries 22% automation pressure, while Assist with basic food preparation carries 30% augmentation potential. That means the best response is usually a targeted redesign of work: move away from repeatable production tasks and toward judgment, exception handling, coordination, stakeholder context, and accountable use of AI tools.
Labor-market context and wage risk
Median wage: $34,810 (May 2025, US national). Employment context: Kitchen support role with chronic vacancy rates. Typical education: No formal educational credential.
Wage vulnerability is 80, while transition feasibility is 58. A high wage-vulnerability score means workers should pay close attention to salary preservation before making a move. A high transition-feasibility score means there are adjacent paths that can reuse existing skills without requiring a complete career reset.
- Low displacement pressure
- Chronic understaffing
- Machines handle racks, not kitchens
Upskilling priorities
Skills that make this role more resilient
The safest upskilling plan starts with skills already close to the work. For Dishwashers, the strongest near-term skill priorities are listed below. These are useful whether the goal is to stay in the role, move to a redesigned version of the role, or transition into an adjacent occupation.
Physical stamina
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Reliability
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Food safety
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Speed under pressure
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
90-day transition plan
The most practical next step is not to wait for a layoff or a full role redesign. Use the next 90 days to create evidence that you can operate in a safer, more AI-augmented version of the work.
- In the first 30 days, document the repetitive tasks in your current work and identify where AI can reduce drafting, lookup, classification, or reporting time.
- By 60 days, complete one small project connected to Prep Cook, such as learn knife skills.
- By 90 days, compare internal openings and external postings for Prep Cook or Kitchen Steward Supervisor and update your resume around measurable workflow outcomes.
FAQ
Questions about AI and Dishwashers
Will AI replace Dishwashers?
Machine dishwashing exists but handles the easy half: racks of uniform items. Pots, pans, prep equipment, and kitchen cleaning still run through human hands, and restaurants chronically cannot fill this role. The better planning signal is not full replacement, but which tasks become automated, which tasks become AI-assisted, and which responsibilities still need human judgment.
Which parts of Dishwashers work are most exposed to AI?
Assist with basic food preparation and Wash dishes and kitchen equipment show the strongest automation pressure in this model. Assist with basic food preparation and Stock and store supplies are better treated as AI-augmented work.
What should Dishwashers learn next?
Start with Physical stamina, Reliability, Food safety. The most practical adjacent paths in this model are Prep Cook and Kitchen Steward Supervisor.
How should this score be used?
Use it as a planning signal, not a prediction. Confirm local hiring demand, wages, licensing, credentials, and employer adoption before making a career move.
Sources
Evidence trail
International Labour Organization / 20 May 2025Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational ExposureO*NET Resource Center / Database 31.0 (August 2026)Occupation, Task, Skill, and Work-Activity DataUS Bureau of Labor Statistics / May 2025 estimates (released 15 May 2026)Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics