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AI Automation Index
Will AI Replace Recreation Workers?
Task-level automation exposure for Recreation Workers: 24 O*NET tasks scored against their work activities, plus the simulator.
E-E-A-T Verified
Developed & audited by Gini Loh Automation Exposure
43%
weighted task index
24 of 24 tasks scored
Median Salary
$36,560 / year
BLS OEWS, May 2025 — this exact occupation
Employment Level
Very High
331,490 people hold this job — size, not growth
Projected 2025–35
+4.3%
employment change
67,000 openings a year · BLS line item
Pay by state
BLS OEWS publishes 53 state estimates for this occupation. Each is its own survey estimate, not the national median adjusted for local prices.
$22,210 – $46,460
Highest medians
District of Columbia $46,460
Washington $44,890
South Dakota $42,270
Hawaii $41,000
California $39,780
Lowest medians
Puerto Rico $22,210
Arkansas $27,770
Mississippi $28,060
Alabama $28,360
Louisiana $28,580
State figures come from the 39-9032 row in the May 2025 state panel. States where the estimate was suppressed or too small to publish are absent.
What the score is made of
Each task is mapped to its work activities, scored for AI automation potential, and weighted by how important those activities are to the job. These are the components.
Automation potential 43%
Importance-weighted mean of the scored tasks. This is the headline index.
Physical work 12%
Share of weighted tasks in hands-on or machine-operating work activities.
Judgment & influence 35%
Share in analysis, decisions, teaching, directing, advising, or caring for others.
Routine administration 12%
Share in documenting, recording, and administrative activities.
Rewritten by O*NET 0%
Share of weighted tasks O*NET rewrote in a recent update. Reported, not folded into the score.
Consequence of error 40/100
Moderate
O*NET's own rating of how serious an uncorrectable mistake would be here — respondents, not us. Deliberately not in the index: the score measures what AI can do with the task content, and multiplying it by stakes would be our judgment dressed as data.
Constituent Task Mix
24 tasks for this occupation, weighted by work-activity importance. Shares below are of total task weight, not task count.
High exposure (≥ 60% of the task is automatable) 28%
7 tasks
Medium exposure (≥ 35%) 48%
11 tasks
Low exposure (below 35%) 23%
6 tasks
How would you survive?
Move your week away from the high-exposure tasks and toward the ones that need judgment. The simulator recalculates the index as you shift the mix.
Simulate Upskilling →Constituent Tasks
#2380 · Core · 15% automatable
Enforce rules and regulations of recreational facilities to maintain discipline and ensure safety.
interpersonal — Enforcing rules requires human presence and authority
Enforce rules or regulations.
#2381 · Core · 48% automatable
Organize, lead, and promote interest in recreational activities, such as arts, crafts, sports, games, camping, and hobbies.
text generation — Promotional materials drafted; human executes outreach
Promote products, services, or programs. Organize recreational activities or events.
#21010 · Core · 70% automatable
Assess the needs and interests of individuals and groups and plan activities accordingly, given the available equipment or facilities.
information retrieval — Gather client info aided, relationship human
Gather information in order to provide services to clients.
#2382 · Core · 35% automatable
Manage the daily operations of recreational facilities.
visual inspection — Recreational facility oversight needs on-site human presence
Monitor recreational facility operations.
#2383 · Core · 5% automatable
Administer first aid according to prescribed procedures and notify emergency medical personnel when necessary.
physical manipulation — Administering first aid requires physical intervention
Administer first aid.
#2388 · Core · 80% automatable
Complete and maintain time and attendance forms and inventory lists.
text generation — Prepare operational reports from data
Prepare operational reports or records.
#2386 · Core · 46% automatable
Explain principles, techniques, and safety procedures to participants in recreational activities and demonstrate use of materials and equipment.
information retrieval — AI explains policies; human handles live questions
Explain regulations, policies, or procedures. Demonstrate activity techniques or equipment use.
#2393 · Core · 40% automatable
Direct special activities or events, such as aquatics, gymnastics, or performing arts.
interpersonal — Event organizing aided; logistics and presence human
Organize recreational activities or events.
#2390 · Core · 45% automatable
Supervise and coordinate the work activities of personnel, such as training staff members and assigning work duties.
decision support — Assignments drafted; accountability and negotiation human
Assign duties or work schedules to employees. Train service staff. Supervise service workers.
#2387 · Core · 35% automatable
Evaluate recreation areas, facilities, and services to determine if they are producing desired results.
visual inspection — Recreational facility oversight needs on-site human presence
Monitor recreational facility operations.
#21011 · Core · 72% automatable
Document individuals' progress toward meeting their treatment goals.
text generation — Draft clinical progress notes from provided inputs
Document client health or progress.
#2385 · Core · 39% automatable
Greet new arrivals to activities, introducing them to other participants, explaining facility rules, and encouraging participation.
information retrieval — AI explains policies; human handles live questions
Explain regulations, policies, or procedures. Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.
#2389 · Core · 55% automatable
Confer with management to discuss and resolve participant complaints.
interpersonal — Cross-staff problem resolution involves politics and trust
Communicate with management or other staff to resolve problems.
#2394 · Core · 62% automatable
Meet with staff to discuss rules, regulations, and work-related problems.
information retrieval — AI explains policies; human handles live questions
Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.
#2399 · Core · 35% automatable
Oversee the purchase, planning, design, construction, and upkeep of recreation facilities and areas.
visual inspection — Recreational facility oversight needs on-site human presence
Monitor recreational facility operations.
#2396 · Core · 25% automatable
Encourage participants to develop their own activities and leadership skills through group discussions.
interpersonal — Comfort and encouragement need live emotional presence
Provide counsel, comfort, or encouragement to individuals or families.
#2391 · Core · 62% automatable
Meet and collaborate with agency personnel, community organizations, and other professional personnel to plan balanced recreational programs for participants.
text generation — Service plans drafted; operational ownership human
Develop plans for programs or services.
#2395 · Core · 23% automatable
Provide for entertainment and set up related decorations and equipment.
interpersonal — Event organizing aided; logistics and presence human
Arrange items for use or display. Organize recreational activities or events.
#2397 · Supplemental · 50% automatable
Serve as liaison between park or recreation administrators and activity instructors.
interpersonal — Cross-department liaison is relational brokering
Liaise between departments or other groups to improve function or communication.
#2392 · Supplemental · 72% automatable
Schedule maintenance and use of facilities.
data analysis — AI optimizes schedules; human handles exceptions
Arrange facility schedules.
#18557 · Supplemental · 10% automatable
Conduct individual in-room visits with residents.
situated mobility — Physical home visits require human presence
Visit individuals in their homes to provide support or information.
#21012 · Supplemental · 40% automatable
Develop treatment goals for individuals based on their assessments.
decision support — AI drafts plans; clinician assesses and owns treatment
Develop treatment plans for patients or clients.
#2398 · Supplemental · 68% automatable
Evaluate staff performance, recording evaluations on appropriate forms.
text generation — Prepare operational reports from data
Evaluate employee performance. Prepare operational reports or records.
#18558 · Supplemental · 4% automatable
Take residents on community outings.
situated mobility — Physically accompanying groups in real environments
Accompany individuals or groups to activities.
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How this was scored
- 1. Tasks. O*NET task statements for this occupation, from a release whose newest record is dated 08/2026.
- 2. Work activities. Each task maps to 1–5 Detailed Work Activities; each activity belongs to one of 41 Generalized Work Activities that O*NET rates for importance (1–5) in this occupation.
- 3. Automation potential. Every work activity carries one score for how far current AI can perform it end-to-end. Tasks inherit the mean of their activities.
- 4. Weighting. Task weight = 0.35 + 0.65 × (importance − 1)/4, scaled by how often the task is performed and by 0.7 for Supplemental tasks. Importance is the task's own O*NET rating where it exists (18,369 of 18,838 tasks); the rest inherit their work activities' importance. The index is the weighted mean.
Check: across the 910 occupations where O*NET also rates how far machine speed sets the pace, this index moves opposite to it (Spearman ρ = -0.49). The more a job is paced by equipment, the less of its task content AI can address — the relationship you would expect if the scoring is working.
Sources · O*NET 31.0 (task records to 08/2026) · BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS projections 2025-2035 · rubric v2.1 · tasks for O*NET, not a forecast
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