Baristas

Baristas score 13 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #713 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 19 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 2 on its own and 1 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 2 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

13/ 100

Low

Rank: #713of 923 jobs
US workers: 3,854,050for Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median pay: $31,200a year
In real AI use: 2 of 19tasks, April–May 2026

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 2 (11%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 1 (5%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 16 (84%)

Describe menu items to customers, or suggest products that might appeal to them.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Provide customers with product details, such as coffee blend or preparation descriptions.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Create signs to advertise store products or events.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Receive and process customer payments.Little or no AI speed-up · core task · Seen in real AI use
Prepare or serve hot or cold beverages, such as coffee, espresso drinks, blended coffees, or teas.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Take customer orders and convey them to other employees for preparation.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Clean or sanitize work areas, utensils, or equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Clean service or seating areas.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Serve prepared foods, such as muffins, biscotti, or bagels.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Prepare or serve menu items, such as sandwiches or salads.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Set up or restock product displays.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Weigh, grind, or pack coffee beans for customers.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Stock customer service stations with paper products or beverage preparation items.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Wrap, label, or date food items for sale.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Take out garbage.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Order, receive, or stock supplies or retail products.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Slice fruits, vegetables, desserts, or meats for use in food service.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Check temperatures of freezers, refrigerators, or heating equipment to ensure proper functioning.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Demonstrate the use of retail equipment, such as espresso machines.Little or no AI speed-up · core task

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Questions about baristas and AI

Will AI replace baristas?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Baristas score 13 out of 100 (low exposure), #713 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 3 of the job's 19 tasks, 2 of them on its own, while 16 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which baristas tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Describe menu items to customers, or suggest products that might appeal to them"; "Provide customers with product details, such as coffee blend or preparation descriptions".

Which baristas tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Receive and process customer payments"; "Prepare or serve hot or cold beverages, such as coffee, espresso drinks, blended coffees, or teas"; "Take customer orders and convey them to other employees for preparation".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 2 of the 19 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as baristas, and what do they earn?

About 3,854,050 people in the US (figure for Fast Food and Counter Workers), with median pay of $31,200 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.

Baristas

Task by task

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Questions about baristas and AI

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