AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 19-4012.00

Will AI replace Agricultural Technicians?

Agricultural Technicians: AI can already handle 18 of 26 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 26 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Agricultural Technicians, from most to least exposed. 18 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Prepare land for cultivated crops, orchards, or vineyards by plowing, discing, leveling, or contouring. 75 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Operate farm machinery, including tractors, plows, mowers, combines, balers, sprayers, earthmoving equipment, or trucks. 75 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Record data pertaining to experimentation, research, or animal care. 75 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Conduct studies of nitrogen or alternative fertilizer application methods, quantities, or timing to ensure satisfaction of crop needs and minimization of leaching, runoff, or denitrification. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Prepare laboratory samples for analysis, following proper protocols to ensure that they will be stored, prepared, and disposed of efficiently and effectively. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Measure or weigh ingredients used in laboratory testing. 75 Estimated Standard 3.9
Perform crop production duties, such as tilling, hoeing, pruning, weeding, or harvesting crops. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Collect animal or crop samples. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Perform laboratory or field testing, using spectrometers, nitrogen determination apparatus, air samplers, centrifuges, or potential hydrogen (pH) meters to perform tests. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Examine animals or crop specimens to determine the presence of diseases or other problems. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Supervise pest or weed control operations, including locating and identifying pests or weeds, selecting chemicals and application methods, or scheduling application. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.7
Set up laboratory or field equipment as required for site testing. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Record environmental data from field samples of soil, air, water, or pests to monitor the effectiveness of integrated pest management (IPM) practices. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Prepare culture media, following standard procedures. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.1
Respond to general inquiries or requests from the public. 75 Estimated Standard 3.0
Prepare or present agricultural demonstrations. 75 Estimated Standard 2.9
Perform tests on seeds to evaluate seed viability. 65 Estimated Standard 3.9
Assess comparative soil erosion from various planting or tillage systems, such as conservation tillage with mulch or ridge till systems, no-till systems, or conventional tillage systems with or without moldboard plows. 65 Estimated Efficient 2.5
Devise cultural methods or environmental controls for plants for which guidelines are sketchy or nonexistent. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.5
Conduct insect or plant disease surveys. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.5
Perform general nursery duties, such as propagating standard varieties of plant materials, collecting and germinating seeds, maintaining cuttings of plants, or controlling environmental conditions. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Determine the germination rates of seeds planted in specified areas. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.2
Transplant trees, vegetables, or horticultural plants. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.2
Prepare data summaries, reports, or analyses that include results, charts, or graphs to document research findings and results. 40 Observed Efficient 3.9
Supervise or train agricultural technicians or farm laborers. 35 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Maintain or repair agricultural facilities, equipment, or tools to ensure operational readiness, safety, and cleanliness. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.0

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 1 of 26 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 25 of 26. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 92% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
15,130
Median annual wage
$49,630
Middle half of earners
$40,950 to $63,630
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+4.3%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Agricultural Technicians and AI

Will AI replace Agricultural Technicians?

AI already handles 18 of the 26 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 65 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +4.3% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Agricultural Technicians?

65 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 1 of the 26 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 25 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Agricultural Technicians tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Prepare land for cultivated crops, orchards, or vineyards by plowing, discing, leveling, or contouring; Operate farm machinery, including tractors, plows, mowers, combines, balers, sprayers, earthmoving equipment, or trucks; Record data pertaining to experimentation, research, or animal care. They are three of the 18 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 92% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

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

15,130 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $49,630 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +4.3% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Agricultural Technicians. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/agricultural-technicians

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